Never Say Never
by psychohart
Summary: Its 6th year at Hogwarts and Hermione has been having nightmares and strange visions, but everything seems to be linked to a certain Slytherin. What will she do when she faces the biggest decision of her life? Will a dark secret change all?
1. Inside Outside

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter One - Inside Outside  
  
Disclaimer: I dun own anything except for the plot! [damn]  
  
Lainie ran to her lover, Fabio and whispered into his ear three words "I love you" he smiled at her and pulled her ever closer and as he bent down to plant his lips passionately on hers in a heartrending kiss he said regretfully -  
  
"Hermione?" said a loud voice to her right, wrenching her out of the surreal world that the book had created for her, Hermione Granger, sixth year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, resident bookworm of the school, prefect of Gryffindor and model student of the century.  
  
"Ronald Weasley, I'm going to give you a piece of advice - never interrupt a girl when she is reading a romance novel." She said huffily, looking daggers at one of her best friends who just happened to be the most sought after boy in the Gryffindor Tower, apart from Harry of course. She sat back comfortably in her cosy armchair and continued to read her book, quickly becoming engrossed in it.  
  
"Oh, my sweet, I have waited so long for this but I can not - "  
  
"Hermioneee!" whined Ron putting an emphasis on the last syllable of her name and giving her a pained look, "it's very important!"  
  
"Yes, what?" she said in reply, choosing not to look up from her book.  
  
"I haven't seen Harry since dinner." He mumbled worriedly.  
  
"Sorry, didn't quite catch that." She said teasingly.  
  
"I haven't seen Harry since dinnertime!" replied Ron loudly earning himself a few adoring glances from various girls around the common room.  
  
"Oh. Is that what's bothering you?" she said, raising her eyebrows at him before continuing after she put down her book, "well Ron, let me just say that in the last 6 years of our lives, Harry has met and fought You-Know- Who no less than 6 times, trust me, he is more than capable to fight anything remotely evil."  
  
"Yes, well, err, but it's not the erm evil part it's just that -" sputtered Ron much to the amusement of Hermione.  
  
"Go on."  
  
"What if he got, say food poisoning or he's hurt or he fainted, you know him, he's usually with us." continued Ron quietly.  
  
Hermione gave him a knowing smile before shrugging and standing up, clutching her beloved book.  
  
"Ron, that's just lame and you've got a perfectly good best friend here if you really miss Harry that much!" she said, beaming at him, making him mock shudder in disgust, "or you can try the Transfiguration classroom, I saw him and Parvati doing something naughty there." she winked at him over her shoulder as she walked to the staircase leading up to the girl's dormitory giggling to herself.  
  
"Girls." Ron muttered to himself darkly before climbing through the portrait hole to start his search for his male best friend.  
  
  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
I smiled to myself as I went up the stairs leading to my dorm, which I shared with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil [who was currently making out with Harry] they are the girliest girls in the Gryffindor Tower or even the whole school. As I opened the door to the dorm the sight that met my eyes was quite disturbing. Clothes had been haphazardly thrown all around the room and a black lace camisole had landed on my four poster bed making me smile as I gingerly picked it up and studied it closely.  
  
'Definitely Lavender's.' I thought to myself, and as though listening to my thoughts, the flushed face of my dorm mate clad in her terry cloth bathrobe came into view and I smiled broadly at her showing her what was in my right hand making Lavender blush sheepishly.  
  
"Oh my god Hermione! I am so sorry about this mess! I was picking out what to wear and I seriously couldn't find my pink nightie so I just flung everything out of my trunk and oh god I'll clean it up." She said apologetically and true to her word she began shoveling her clothes back into her trunk whilst muttering about having to stay up to wait for Parvati to come back from snogging Harry.  
  
"You forgot this." I said, handing her the camisole which she took gratefully and after snapping her trunk shut, she turned to me and began to gush about how adorable it was that Parvati had finally gotten Harry who she had been secretly admiring since fifth year and what they were going to get up to tonight.  
  
"Yes, that's very nice, very sweet, uh-huh. . . " I began drift off into what promised to be a very deep sleep when a sudden jolt of pain shot through me. I sat up straight with my eyes wide with shock.  
  
"What the hell was that?!" I said shakily, not realizing that I had interrupted Lavender in saying how cute Ron was and how lucky I was to be both him and Harry's best friend.  
  
"Oh, what's wrong Hermione?!" she exclaimed dramatically taking my hand and holding it in a death grip. But by now the pain had left as soon as it had come.  
  
"No, nothing it's gone now." I stammered, before standing up and heading into the bathroom to get changed, "Night Lavender, and help me tell Parvati my congratulations."  
  
Needless to say, that night I had didn't have a very peaceful slumber.  
  
  
  
I woke up the next morning feeling groggy and utterly exhausted from the dreams that I had had last night. Dark silhouettes of people in robes and a mirthless high-pitched laugh kept on appearing in my dreams as well as countless curses that I had never heard of.  
  
I shook off the uneasy feeling that was hanging over me and quickly got up to get dressed in the bathroom. I looked at myself critically in the mirror and realized that I hadn't changed one little bit since I first arrived here at Hogwarts, I was still the young, naïve little muggle-born witch who memorized all her books before she even started school. Though of course, now I had managed to tame my unruly hair and now instead of a bush of chestnut coloured hair, I had a sleek mane of silky chocolate coloured hair that framed my porcelain face fairly well.  
  
As I emerged from the bathroom, I could already hear Parvati and Lavender chattering to each other happily and the minute that Parvati saw me, she jumped up to come running to me to give me a huge bear hug.  
  
"Harry is the best kisser on earth! Oh my god, he is so sweet and so shy. Man why didn't you tell me earlier Hermione?!" she gushed smiling radiantly at me.  
  
"Well, Parvati, I haven't actually kissed Harry before so I wouldn't know." I said cheekily making her blush, "anyhow, I'm really happy for you and I hope it all works out!"  
  
"Me too! I can't wait to spend more time with him!"  
  
"Um, Parvati, I need to get to breakfast, see you both down there!" I said in an effort to get out before I had to endure further girl talk. I ran down the stairs and climbed out of the portrait hole and walked briskly to the Great Hall looking in the direction of the Gryffindor table searching for Ron and Harry.  
  
"Mione!" called Harry beckoning me over to a spot next to him, which I sat down in with a smirk plastered on my face. But just as I was about to grill him about how Parvati was, another bolt of pain seared through my body making me bite my lips in pain. And strangely enough, I felt a pair of eyes on the back of my neck making the hair stand on end.  
  
I turned around to see myself staring into the cold, icy gray eyes of Draco Malfoy who I have completely loathed for the past six years and who was unfortunately made the prefect of Slytherin house. As we made eye contact, I could feel my pain sliding away and I immediately relaxed, allowing myself to look deeper into those seemingly pitiless eyes of the person who I channel most of my hatred to.  
  
To my surprise, he didn't break the contact and merely looked bored, as he seemed to be stripping away the many layers of my inner soul, which gave me an extremely uncomfortable feeling. I narrowed my eyes at him and mouthed to him "useless ferret" which made him sneer back at me "mudblood".  
  
I gave him a look containing the most contempt that I could muster and turned away to talk to Harry and Ron.  
  
"Um, Hermione. Earth to Hermione." Said Harry, playfully waving his hands in front of my eyes, "We all know that Malfoy is a useless git and needs to be stared at with heaps of hatred every day, but me and Ron want to talk to you."  
  
"Oh, sorry! Got a bit lost just then! What were you saying?" I said in response looking as dazed as I could.  
  
"Well, do you mind if I go out with Parvati?" he said very seriously looking down at the ground as though it was very interesting.  
  
"Yeah sure! Why would I mind? I'm totally happy for you!" I exclaimed trying to look scandalized that he had even asked me that question.  
  
"Well, you know, howweusedtogooutandtheneverythingdidntworkoutverywell." He said in a rush still refusing to meet my eyes.  
  
"That was ages ago Harry, and you know it." I said soothingly, "anyway, it only lasted a week and nothing even happened, we never even kissed." I added stressing the word 'kissed'.  
  
"I guess, and we were still good friends after. Gee thanks Hermione!" Harry replied blushing furiously as well as smiling sheepishly at me.  
  
"Anytime."  
  
  
  
Harry's POV  
  
I sighed in relief as I got Hermione's approval to go out with Parvati, which I didn't really need, but felt, as though I wanted to get anyway. I grinned as Parvati slipped into the seat directly opposite me and gave me a quick wink before starting on her breakfast, eating it daintily.  
  
I leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You wanna be my girlfriend?" giving her the most charming smile I had on me and I took hold of her hand stroking it gently. She looked disbelievingly at me and it seemed as though she was about to spit out her cereal, but then she swallowed and said in her angelic voice - "Of course!" and gave me a peck on the cheek.  
  
I was a bit taken aback but recovered quickly and that little public display of affection earned Parvati and me both a round of wolf whistles that seemed to raise the enchanted ceiling above us.  
  
"Well, I'll see you soon in class ok?" I whispered to Parvati as Hermione and Ron left the table absolutely beaming. I quickly caught up with them and by the looks on their faces I couldn't help but break into a grin myself.  
  
"Ooh! Harry you are the sweetest guy on earth! We all heard you propose to ickle Pavi just then and then the whole house of Gryffindor saw her give you a widdle kissy wissy on your cheek!" mocked Ron in a sickeningly girly voice.  
  
"Oh shut up Ronnekins." I retorted using the long forgotten nickname used by his twin brothers Fred and George Weasley, "and by the way, I didn't propose, I just asked her to be my girlfriend!"  
  
"So Scarhead finally got a girlfriend eh?" drawled a familiarly annoying voice from behind us. All three of us turned around to face the sneering face of Malfoy and I noticed Hermione giving him a death stare.  
  
"Go away Ferret Boy." We all said in unison, much to our surprise.  
  
"The Dream Team has a very limited vocabulary, I just realized. I expected more from you, Mudblood. I thought that you were supposed to be smart." He continued to drawl and his two cronies Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly to themselves, "Anyway, Granger, we need to talk."  
  
That last statement caught both Ron's attention and mine and we looked questioningly at Hermione who seemed as bewildered as we were.  
  
"What do you want Malfoy?" she asked boldly.  
  
"What do you think Mudblood?" replied Malfoy raising his eyebrows at her and looking her up and down with interest.  
  
"Why you little!" yelled Ron and before I could restrain him, he was already starting to madly strangle Malfoy who wasn't fazed at all.  
  
"Well well well, seems like the Weasel's imagination is working overtime." sneered Malfoy, "all I wanted to do was have a talk with my fellow prefect."  
  
"Prefect." Repeated Ron stupidly. As the words began to make sense in his mind, he reluctantly stopped assaulting Malfoy and stepped aside to allow Hermione to talk to the ferret himself.  
  
"Good luck." He muttered as he passed her, giving her a pat on her arm.  
  
"I'll need it." I heard her whisper a reply and with that she walked tentatively up to Malfoy and he took her around the corner from us, leaving us with the two trolls, Crabbe and Goyle who were screwing up their fists and looking menacingly at us.  
  
"This is going to be a long wait."  
  
Thanks for reading! ^^ psychohart - im sorry for having to make you guys read a poor attempt at writing but too bad u chose to read! [please review!] 


	2. Proposal

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 2 - Proposal  
  
Disclaimer: I dun have no nothing 'cept for the plot! ^^  
  
Draco's POV  
  
I smirked to myself as I led Granger to a spot just around the corner from the Potty and the Weasel, hoping that there would be no interruptions to our nice little talk and that Crabbe and Goyle would have a fine time entertaining themselves.  
  
"So, Granger how does it feel to be so close to me?" I asked innocently giving her my famous smirk.  
  
"Oh shut up Malfoy." She replied obstinately looking everywhere except where I was standing.  
  
"Ooh, the Mudblood's getting annoyed is she?" I taunted maliciously and her eyes suddenly flew up to meet mine in an icy stare.  
  
"Don't. You. Ever. Call. Me. That. Again." She stated through gritted teeth, holding my collar tightly with her thin fingers, "I've had enough of you Malfoy."  
  
"Well, well Granger, no need to get aggressive with the hottest guy in town." I responded with a confident tone to my voice, making her let go of my neck quickly, "But, since I am a gentlemen then I suppose that we should call a truce so that our time as prefects should go fairly smoothly, whilst not tarnishing my chance at becoming Head Boy next year."  
  
Granger's eyes flashed dangerously at me and she seemed to be considering my offer quietly. I pride myself on being able to see through people, a talent that I suppose I inherited from my dear father Lucius and I could see her weighing up the consequences of accepting and declining.  
  
"Very well Malfoy. I will try to act civil towards you on the conditions that you will act civil towards me and my friends, perhaps putting us both in running for Head Boy and Girl, though I must say Harry would make a much better Head Boy than you." she said craftily looking pointedly at me.  
  
I nodded sincerely, I must say that I agreed with the fact that she would most probably become Head Girl next year, compared to the stupid, sorry excuses we have for girls in this year. Herm- Granger stood out like a flower in a field of weeds. Although it seemed as though the Boy Who Lived didn't have much of a chance himself at what I have long thought as my spot as Head Boy.  
  
"I propose that our truce starts now i.e. from the start of the year to the end but I must disagree on the condition that I must be civil to your friends." I replied haughtily, I could not imagine myself being positively nice to Potter and Weasley, the thought of it was starting to make me gag.  
  
"Just as long as you don't give us any trouble Malfoy." She replied quickly whilst giving me that no-nonsense look that uncannily resembled McGonagall's strict stare.  
  
"Whatever." I muttered, before sticking out my hand for a firm shake with hers, and she looked at it as though it was something foreign that she had never seen before, "You're meant to shake it Granger."  
  
"Oh." She stuttered before taking my hand and giving it a half-heartedly shake.  
  
"Nice doing business with you." I said sweetly, and then I added as an afterthought, "First prefect's meeting of the year tonight in the common room after dinner, see you there!"  
  
I chuckled softly to myself as I glimpsed the frustrated look on her face when she realized that I knew something she didn't know. I turned on my heel and sauntered briskly back to where Crabbe and Goyle were and thinking to myself, 'That look was absolutely priceless.'  
  
Harry and Ron narrowed their eyes at Malfoy as he strolled back into view and scowled when they realized that Hermione wasn't with him.  
  
"What on earth did he do to her?" mumbled Ron absently.  
  
"Hopefully nothing too bad, though just standing next to him is pure torture." Replied Harry before starting to walk in the direction where Malfoy had come from and almost colliding with Hermione herself.  
  
"Hermione! What did he do to you?! We'll kill him, you just wait!" exclaimed Ron as soon as he saw her. But she just smiled faintly at him and gave him a playful pat on his shoulder.  
  
"Nothing, Ron.he just asked for a truce to go on between us because, you know we're both prefects and he doesn't want anything to 'tarnish his chances at being Head Boy next year' or so he says. Personally I think that he's just wasting his time because he'll get to be Head Boy no matter what, knowing his father and his ways. But, if he wants to act nice to me, that's fine by me." She said this in a very matter-of-fact way before adding, "Though Harry would make a far better Head Boy."  
  
Harry blushed at that comment and began to shake his head embarrassedly but Hermione shushed him and gave him a loving look, making Ron cringe at this act of affection between the two good friends.  
  
"Hermione, you do know that Harry's taken now right?" stated Ron loudly, and she nodded earnestly.  
  
"Yeah! Of course I know that! You must think I'm daft, Ronald." She replied, "And we're going to be late to Potions if you don't start moving now!"  
  
And with that the three raced down to the dungeons where they had their most dreaded lesson with the most loathed teacher in the school, none other than Severus Snape the Potions Master himself.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione quickly slipped into their seats before Snape came striding into the dungeon with his usual scowl and settled in his own chair at the front of the classroom before sweeping his eyes intimidatingly over his silent class of students.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy I see that you have already taken your book out." Snape said in a loud voice whilst giving him a rare smile, "You really are an outstanding student. Ten points to Slytherin for constant keenness to work."  
  
Draco smirked and flicked his hair out of his eyes, as he no longer slicked it back like when he used to during the first few years of schooling at Hogwarts. Pansy Parkinson, his eternal admirer was sitting right behind him and she loudly cooed to him:  
  
"Oh, Draco darling, you really are such a good boy!" she simpered giving him puppy dog eyes and she twirled her own dirty blonde locks around her finger and licked her lips suggestively.  
  
Draco looked amusedly at her and then turned back to face the front again almost struggling to keep a disgusted groan from escaping his own lips, whilst thinking to himself, 'I'd rather kiss the Mudblood Granger than that.pug faced thing.'  
  
He quickly stole a look at Granger sitting across the room from him and to his surprise she was staring daggers back at him and he began to laugh as he realized why. Her own book was sitting open in front of her and it looked as though it had been ever since she arrived in the room. 'Now now Granger, just because Snape favours me over you.'  
  
Then suddenly another thought entered Draco's mind and it seemed to be replying to the thought that he just had. 'Shut up Malfoy, I'm a thousand times better than you.'  
  
"What the fuck." Muttered Draco and he looked questioningly at the Hermione and he channeled a thought towards her - 'Mudblood, what the hell is going on?!'  
  
Her eyes opened wide as she realized that they were able to communicate to each other through their thoughts, which was quite unnerving. 'Oh shit. Anyone but Malfoy.' She thought frantically.  
  
'What, aren't I enough?' he thought back to her with a smirk plastered all over his face as he himself realized what fun he could have listening to Granger's innocent little thoughts.  
  
'No, you're more than enough. Please, don't try to listen anymore to my thoughts before I find out more about this ok?' she silently pleaded with him. 'No. This just can't be happening to me!' she thought.  
  
But Draco had already made up his mind about what he was going to do with his new found talent.  
  
'Make me.'  
  
Ok, what do you guys think? Good - Bad? Do you think I should immediately stop writing at once and that I am a disgrace to the writers in this world? ^^ please tell me all your criticisms in a review =) I love them!! [sorry if im being greedy] anyway, hope you guys like it and I'm sorry that it's shorter than the first chapter, I just realized how long the first one is! Thanks to - Hermione for being my first and only reviewer and trust me, I'm gonna put up more chapters than just 2 ^^  
  
psychohart 


	3. The Search Begins

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 3 - The Search Begins  
  
Disclaimer: Yep, your usual story with me owning nothing but the plot!  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
I can't believe that I am doing this. Loitering outside the library entrance waiting for Malfoy like some lovesick schoolgirl hoping to catch a glimpse of her crush. Well, luckily for me that he isn't my crush and that we are going to meet here to discuss our unfortunate new found 'power'. Ugh, I still can't believe that that ferret-faced imbecile can listen to my thoughts whenever he wishes to! That's the most ridiculous thing that I have heard in my whole life.  
  
Tearing my thoughts away from Malfoy, I looked longingly into the library and thought to myself 'oh what the hell, a little peek won't hurt.' I ducked into the library smiling stiffly at Madam Pince the vulture like librarian and quickly walked towards the section, which contained books about strange abilities.  
  
"Hmm, this looks interesting - 'The wacky ways of the wizarding mind'" I muttered to myself before sitting down in a huge comfortable armchair nearby. I looked down at the index and found myself looking straight at what I was hoping to find - 'The Ability to send Thoughts to another person and The Ability to receive Thoughts.'  
  
This was just my lucky day. I quickly scanned the page and the words jumped out at me. 'Usually between two people with no understanding towards each other whatsoever.' Well, that certainly sounds like Malfoy and me.  
  
'But they are able to do whatever they want with their ability i.e. using it for good or bad.' I groaned inwardly thinking about what that stupid prat Malfoy could get up to listening to my private thoughts. I sighed and read on skipping over the next few lines before my eyes landed on a particular line that shocked me immediately.  
  
'These two people will slowly begin to understand each other, as this is why the power was bestowed upon them in the first place. This will either lead to complications or to possibly attraction between the two.' I furiously read the rest of the page and found that it had nothing containing what to do with the power or how to get rid of the connection.  
  
What does it mean by 'possible attraction between the two.'? I wondered to myself scoffing at the image of Malfoy being attracted to me. 'Not in a million years. That'll never happen.'  
  
I sighed miserably and got up to put the book back on its shelf when I slammed into something solid and definitely animate. My nose felt as though it was broken and I gently pushed the 'thing' away from me clutching my nose with my other hand.  
  
"I thought today was supposed to be my lucky day." I mumbled to myself angrily.  
  
"It is, Granger." Replied a familiar drawling voice. I looked up and saw the very person that I was beginning to loathe even more, if that was possible. Draco Malfoy.  
  
"What? You call bumping into you and breaking my nose being my lucky day? Not to mention finding out that you can listen to my thoughts and -" my voice sounded weak and extremely nasally and it was beginning to be hard for me to breathe so I just flopped back sulkily down onto the armchair still holding onto my nose tightly.  
  
"Oh, Granger, so you've broken your nose have you?" he smirked before bending down and handing me a vial of something pale blue, "Drink it, you'll feel better." I looked suspiciously at him and stuck my almost- broken nose in the air.  
  
"I'm not taking anything from you Malfoy." I replied stubbornly.  
  
"Suit yourself." He said lazily before pulling up a stool to sit next to me, and putting the vial back into his pocket. But unfortunately for me a dribble of blood trickled it's way from my nose and onto my black Hogwarts robes.  
  
"Malfoy. Give me the vial." I commanded pinching my nose and sticking my other hand out to get the potion. He smirked his famous smirk at me and handed over the vial. I quickly drank it down and instantly I felt better and my nose even felt half healed.  
  
"What is this stuff?" I asked awed, "And how the hell did you get it?"  
  
"It's a potion called Mendito Serum and it makes the drinker feel better after drinking it but it doesn't exactly heal stuff, so that's the down side of it, but it makes them feel well for a long period of time and as to how I got it, it's from Moste Potente Potions which I have at home." He was still smirking as he said this but I couldn't help but think 'He really does have everything.'  
  
'That's right Mudblood.' He replied silently and I rolled my eyes remembering why I was sitting here with my archenemy.  
  
"So, Malfoy, why did you ask me to meet you here?" I asked nonchalantly.  
  
"What do you think Mudblood. Obviously to talk about how we can listen to each other's thoughts." He drawled.  
  
"Well, alright then. I was just reading this book and it doesn't say anything about how to break the connection or how to harness the power because as you can see, we can't always listen to each other's thoughts, just sometimes." I handed the book to him and he flicked through the pages studiously looking for the page, I said helpfully to him, "It's on page 94."  
  
"Oh." He said gratefully, "Thanks."  
  
'Well well, the brat actually has manners. How amazing.'  
  
"Yes I do have manners, Granger. Is it that intriguing? I wasn't brought up by the strictest parents in the wizarding world for nothing." He said distractedly. Ugh. He really can listen to my thoughts. Then another thought struck me. I grinned evilly to myself.  
  
"Malfoy?" I asked sweetly, his face snapped up and a look of confusion seemed to flicker across his slightly flushed face but it faded before I could properly identify what it was.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Has it ever occurred to you that I can listen to your thoughts as well?" I said mock innocently. He looked confused again and when his brain clicked into gear he looked violently at me.  
  
"Don't you dare try anything Mudblood." He said menacingly.  
  
"As long as you don't try anything yourself Malfoy." I replied calmly.  
  
"Deal." He continued reading on in silence and after awhile I got up to leave the library.  
  
"Where are you going Granger?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Where do you think?! The Hospital Wing of course." I replied with a matter of fact tone to my voice.  
  
"Oh. Well, have fun then." He said civilly. 'Gee, what does he think I am? A little girl?' I thought disgustedly to myself before strolling briskly out of the dark area of bookshelves.  
  
"I heard that!" shouted Malfoy looking daggers at me whilst earning himself a disapproving glare from Madam Pince. I winked at him and left the library with new spring in my step.  
  
  
  
Draco's POV  
  
That Mudblood really gets on my nerves sometimes, acting like she knows it all. Well, I guess she does know it all with her head in a book at all times. I admitted to myself grudgingly. I stared at her retreating figure and fought back the urge to stick my tongue out at her. Instead I continued to read about this strange new ability that I shared with Granger.  
  
'Usually between two people with no understanding towards each other whatsoever.' That sounds about right, at least this book wasn't spouting rubbish.  
  
'But they are able to do whatever they want with their ability i.e. using it for good or bad.' A broad grin spread over my face and my quick mind was already starting to plan a wonderful way to warp Granger's brain. But then I remembered that I had a deal with her as well as a truce. Damn, why does everything have to have limits on it?!  
  
'These two people will slowly begin to understand each other, as this is why the power was bestowed upon them in the first place.' Now that got my attention there. I will understand Granger and she will understand me?! Ha. Maybe this book isn't as good as I thought it was. That was just impossible. Me, Draco Malfoy the Pureblood of the year, understand Hermione Granger girl/friend of Saint Potter and definitely the most despicable Mudblood of the year, no century. The very idea was laughable. But the next line surprised me even more.  
  
'This will either lead to complications or to possibly attraction between the two.' What?! Attraction between me and her?! Argh! I slammed the book down on the table making it wobble dangerously and I fumed for a whole five minutes before I came back to my senses again.  
  
For every thing that happens, there has to be a reason and for every thing that has been invented, there has to be a reverse action. That phrase had been drummed into my head since I was a five year old when I didn't even know what it meant. So I set my mind to finding the reverse action to this horrible power, I had to get rid of it before it got rid of me.  
  
God, what would Lucius say when he found out about this?! A possible attraction to a Mudblood? He would scream and shout at me saying things like 'How preposterous!' and 'You are a disgrace to the Malfoy family!' and even worse 'I do not want you as a son.' No, I could not let that happen. I could not afford to be disowned by Lucius, I admired my own father too much to let him down. 'But why though?' That annoying little thought flitted into my head, making me doubt my actions for once. 'Why do you admire him so much?' Oh, it was just Granger listening in on me. I could deal with her.  
  
'Fuck off Granger if you want to leave Hogwarts at the end of the year alive.'  
  
'No, I will not 'fuck off' I want to know why you admire your father so much.'  
  
'Mudblood, I'm warning you, if you don't stop listening right now you will wish that you were never born.'  
  
'It's not my fault. I can't help listening to your thoughts! Besides, I'm curious as to why you want to be a Death Eater.'  
  
'I never said I wanted to be a Death Eater. Anyway, it's none of your business.'  
  
'Yes but your father is a Death Eater. Doesn't that mean you want to be one yourself?'  
  
'No. I will never bow down to someone else and fawn all over them. I want to be powerful and wealthy and respected and everything else that my father is.'  
  
'Well, that's simple. You don't have to be like your father and be on the dark side you know. You can be powerful, wealthy and respected as a normal wizard.'  
  
'Oh just go away Granger. You're making me sick.'  
  
I lay my head down on the table trying to block out what she was going to say in response to what I just said. It was true. She was making me sick and tired in listening to her and her rational reasoning. She doesn't have the ability to change me anyway.  
  
Then I listened carefully to see if she was going to respond to what I said and then I sighed in relief when I realized that she couldn't listen anymore. Ah, bliss. And with that I feverishly set to work on finding a cure for this unfortunate power.  
  
  
  
haha^^, hope that you guys liked this chapter, personally, I thought that it wasn't that good because obviously there's no fluff yet. But, in my opinion, I like it when Draco and Hermione are both in character not so, mushy, so bear with me as I slowly let the romance progress ok? Thanks =)  
  
psychohart 


	4. Dilemma

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 4 - Dilemma  
  
Disclaimer: whoa, after four chapters I'm already sick of writing these! Ok, here we go again - I dun own anything cept for my beloved plot. ^^  
  
Ron's POV  
  
"'Arry, 'oo 'een 'Ermione?" I said roughly through the shepherd's pie that I was having for lunch today.  
  
"Sorry, what did you say Ron?" replied Harry dazedly finally taking his eyes off Parvati who was sitting with Lavender on the other side of the table.  
  
"I said have you seen Hermione?" I repeated after swallowing the mouthful of pie and winking at Lavender who was looking my way.  
  
"Hermione? No, come to think of it. I haven't. Where do you think she'd be?" asked Harry concernedly looking around the Great Hall to see if she'd come bursting in halfway through the meal.  
  
"Li'ery." I replied with another mouthful of food in my mouth looking apologetically at Harry when he looked absolutely lost.  
  
"Oh! I got it!" he said triumphantly when he realized what I was saying, "Library!"  
  
I nodded profusely and I heard a giggle from the other end of the table and I saw Lavender staring at me again and I shook my head and rolled my eyes at Harry who was laughing as he saw Lavender gawking.  
  
"Looks like you have a few admirers, Ron." He said over a few good-hearted chortles.  
  
"Shut up Harry." I replied hotheadedly.  
  
"Okay Ron. Do you reckon that we should go look for Hermione?" said Harry somberly though his eyes were still twinkling.  
  
"Anything to get away from Lavender." I replied quickly pulling Harry out of his seat and rushing out of the Great Hall much to Parvati and Lavender's dismay, we could hear them screeching "Oh, Harry and Ron where are you going!" at the top of their voices and many heads turned as we ran out of the doors and started making our way up the staircase.  
  
When we reached the library something dark and tall pushed roughly past us and as it went further down the hall we saw that it had platinum blonde hair and ice-bluish gray eyes and it was reading something quite intently. It was Malfoy.  
  
"What on earth is he doing in the library at lunch?" I asked incredulously.  
  
"No idea. Hope he hasn't hurt Hermione!" Harry replied already walking into the library and looking around in the bookshelves for any sign of her.  
  
"She's not here!" I stated feeling a bit relieved that Hermione and Malfoy weren't in here by themselves during lunch doing god knows what.  
  
"But, Ron if she's not here, then where is she?!" came Harry's exasperated voice.  
  
"Oh shit."  
  
  
  
  
  
Draco's POV  
  
My eyes widened as finally after what felt like eternity, I had found the solution to our problem. I settled back in the armchair, shocked by what I had found out and I had a splitting headache from it. The stupid Mudblood must've missed it when she was probably speed reading it earlier.  
  
How could someone not notice such an important point?! I shook my head in disbelief and I knead my knuckles viciously. Why the hell did everything have to be so hard? I thought feeling completely frustrated. As if having Granger probing in my thoughts wasn't bad enough, I had to go and find out how to get rid of the power and it had to be this -  
  
'The power will eventually wear off by itself but that can take a matter of years. Unless the two affected should come to completely understand and appreciate each other in a shorter period of time. Then the bond connecting their minds will be broken and they will no longer possess the power to read each other's minds.'  
  
Argh! Appreciate Granger? Understand her? This was asking for a near miracle. How could I learn to almost befriend the Mudblood? I suddenly stood up and began to pace around uncomfortably. My thoughts were in a jumbled mess and I needed to go and sort them out.  
  
'If I become friends with Granger, what would father think? Not just what father would think, what would the world think?! I'll lose my reputation so quickly that before I could say 'Quidditch' I'll most probably be shunned by most people in Slytherin and my father's friends and father himself.'  
  
I shook my head and tried to regain my senses.  
  
'But, if I learned to understand her and appreciate her in secret, without attracting the attention of others, then I could sever the bond between us quicker and get her away from my private thoughts.' Argh, why did everything have to be so confusing?  
  
I picked up the book from the table and then began to stroll out of the library with my head in the book looking for possible points that I might've missed before. I pushed past two figures blocking my way and continued to stroll down the corridor before I came up with the bright idea of finding Granger.  
  
I hurried to the Hospital Wing and when I got there disappointment filled me when I realized that it was empty. Well except for Madam Pomfrey of course. She came bustling out to ask me what I was doing here.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey, have you seen Hermione Granger?" I asked coolly.  
  
"Now, Mr. Malfoy, why would you be looking for her?" she asked suspiciously, "Looking for someone to hex?"  
  
"Oh, no, of course not. I just needed to find her for a Prefect's meeting tonight, I have to tell her something." I bluffed laughing half-heartedly.  
  
"Well, in that case, she just left after I fixed up her poor nose. She can't have gone far." Said Madam Pomfrey kindly, "I think she was heading in the direction of Gryffindor Tower, although I had told her that she was too scrawny and that she needed some food and that she shouldn't be spending her lunch wandering around on an empty stomach." She continued to ramble so I quickly I thanked her and set off in the direction of that wretched common room.  
  
I couldn't believe that I was actually searching for the Mudblood to have a civil conversation with her. I guess that a lot of things were about to change this year, I smiled wistfully as I thought of the years filled with taunting the Dream Team cheerfully without having complications like these. Ah. . . those were the days.  
  
I went up one staircase after another and being lost in my thoughts my foot suddenly slipped through something and made me trip and land smack bang on the step above it.  
  
"Argh! Damn trick step!" I cursed impatiently trying to wrench my foot out of its unfortunate position. Then an idea struck me and I reached for my wand in my pocket and pointed it at my poor foot.  
  
"Leverio." Immediately my foot came out of the step and I sighed at my bad luck. I smoothed out my robes nonchalantly and ran my hands through my extremely blonde hair that was hanging in my eyes all tousled and knotted and continued to ascend the steps.  
  
That bloody Mudblood was causing way more trouble than the Wonder Boy himself was these days, oh fuck her. I could definitely do without her help. 'Then why are you looking for her?' I rolled my eyes at that thought and chose to ignore it as I reached the top of the stairs and looked around for the elusive entrance to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"Hmm it's meant to be a portrait of a Fat Lady last time I heard." I muttered to myself absent-mindedly, and I continued examining every painting hanging on the walls travelling down the long dark corridor at an excruciatingly slow pace.  
  
"Aha!" I exclaimed softly having found a picture of a woman who matched the description that my fellow Slytherins had given me after they had stalked a certain redheaded Weaselette one night after dinner all the way to the Gryffindor Tower and if the portrait had allowed them, they would've traced her all the way to her dormitory.  
  
"Are you the Fat -" I broke off in midsentence hearing a shrill scream pierce my ears and I quickly turned in the direction from where the sound had been coming from. I saw something dark huddled beneath a window and I sprinted the length of the corridor shielding my eyes against the harsh sunlight streaming in through the window.  
  
"Oh god."  
  
  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
I sat down underneath the window and I curled into a little ball. The pain was starting to become unbearable and as I thought that, another bolt of white-hot pain shot through my body making it feel as though it was really on fire.  
  
My normally clear mind was becoming increasingly more clouded and another flash of blinding pain flooded my body and this time, the cold ruthless laugh that I had been hearing in my dream was beginning to sound in my ears again, getting steadily louder as the intensity of the pain increased.  
  
I would not allow myself to scream or moan in pain. I could see a dark hooded figure in my mind's eye and it was becoming clearer and clearer as the pain grew making me bit my lips in pain until I could taste my metallic blood.  
  
Then, suddenly the figure became whole and its face shone in a contorted sort of way, radiated by a strong, but evil light. Its red eyes were reduced to slits and it's flat nose had flaring nostrils and the thin line which formed its mouth was twisted sickening smile. It was none other than Lord Voldemort.  
  
  
  
Hehe^^, I'm sorry for leaving you guys in suspense like that, and I'll be writing another chapter today, rest assured, as soon as I get some reviews!! I havent gotten any since.the second chapter!! [cries] I feel unwanted (  
  
Anyway, cheers, psychohart 


	5. Take Me Away

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 5 - Take Me Away  
  
Disclaimer: J.K Rowling is the queen, I am just the little servant who writes for her =)  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
I screamed. Forgetting my earlier vow to never moan or scream in pain, I screamed with all my heart, letting all the stress that was beginning to build up within my body slide away, closing my eyes and defiantly concentrating on pushing the frightening picture of Lord Voldemort out of my mind.  
  
My brow was furrowed and my fists clenched in tight little balls, my mind willing him to disappear from my mind. Soon, the pain was starting to subside and even the outline of Lord Voldemort was beginning to waver; though I could still hear his mirthless laugh once again together with a strange hissing escaping from his mouth.  
  
'You will not be forgiven.' He hissed, eyes gleaming like rubies before he vanished in a flash. I collapsed, tears streaming down my face in rivulets and fierce sobbing racked my ribs, making it hard for me to breathe.  
  
Lord Voldemort had been speaking Parseltongue. And I had understood it. I shook my head in frustration as realization began to dawn on me, was I a Parselmouth too?  
  
Then another question entered my mind, 'Why could I see him in my mind's eye?' It was all too strange, combined with the piercing pain, dark dreams and my strange new ability to read Malfoy's mind.  
  
I continued to cry, hugging myself in an effort to calm myself down. 'It's gonna be alright. . .' I thought to myself reassuringly, 'It's gonna be just fine. . .'  
  
But my mind was spinning and a loud pounding had taken place in my ears, the world began to swirl out of focus, and the split second before I began to slip into oblivion, I saw what seemed to be an angel coming to take me away. . .  
  
  
  
Draco's POV  
  
"Oh god!" I yelled again, looking at Granger lying lifeless on the burgundy red carpet with an odd smile still playing on her lips. So, it was her who had screamed. I grimaced, quickly thinking about what I had to do to help her, and the only thing that I could think of was taking her straight to the Hospital Wing again.  
  
I bent down and gingerly stroked her face, hoping that she would wake up, but not a muscle twitched in her whole body.  
  
"Damn." I cursed under my breath as I tentatively picked her up, astonished that she was extremely light. 'Well, at least she won't exactly be a burden to get to the Hospital Wing.' I grinned as I remembered how last year, during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson, Pansy had fainted dramatically and Hagrid demanded that I carry her up to Madam Pomfrey, and upon taking her into my arms, I had promptly fallen down, unable to withstand her weight, which had to be the same as an elephants!  
  
But the grin soon disappeared from my mouth, when I saw Hermione still lying limply in my arms and the only rational thought in my mind was 'Run!'  
  
So I ran. I ran with Hermione who was getting paler with every passing second in my arms, looking very frail. I frantically pushed past a group of Ravenclaw first years ignoring their looks of wonder in seeing Hermione in my arms, and soon I had arrived at the Hospital Wing, panting with exhaustion.  
  
"Madam. . .Pomfrey. . ." I panted and she quickly came out and her mouth formed an 'o' shape in shock.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy!" she gasped, looking at me horrified, "What did you do to her?!"  
  
"Nothing!" I replied truthfully my eyes wide with concern, because after all, I was telling the truth. Madam Pomfrey looked at me disbelievingly and quickly took Hermione out of my arms relieving me of my task.  
  
"I do not believe a single word of this." She muttered, before giving me a look of disdain, "Out."  
  
"What?" I stammered feeling taken aback.  
  
"Get out." She repeated icily after setting Hermione down onto a white hospital bed and starting to walk briskly to her office in search of a remedy for her patient.  
  
"No, why should I? I'm staying here because I am worried for her." I stated firmly rushing into Madam Pomfrey's office and looking her straight in the eye.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, this is my last warning. Either get out, or I will call the Headmaster." She replied bluntly whilst quickly mixing two violet coloured liquids together and sprinkling a bit of some sort of powder on top of it before stirring it rapidly.  
  
"I didn't curse her, or hurt her in any sort of way!" I spat out, "I found her like that and I took her straight here. Please let me stay, Madam Pomfrey, I am truly worried about her."  
  
Madam Pomfrey snorted derisively and turned around to look at me with a strict air.  
  
"A Slytherin worried over a Gryffindor student?" she said still stirring the concoction around in the beaker, "That's the most ridiculous thing that I've heard all year."  
  
"Please, believe me Madam Pomfrey. Let me stay." I pleaded with her trailing after her as she strode back to Hermione's bed and set the beaker down on the bedside table with a soft clank. She continued to look me over as though checking to see if I was telling the truth and finally, after a few moments, she stated quietly,  
  
"Very well, Mr. Malfoy. If you wish to stay, you may on the condition that you will not injure Miss Granger any further."  
  
"But, I didn't -" I argued before Madam Pomfrey cut me off smoothly by saying,  
  
"Hush Mr. Malfoy. Please go to the Staff common room to fetch Professor McGonagall, no doubt she will want to see how her student is doing."  
  
I nodded dumbly and before I turned on my heel to leave, I cast another glance over Hermione's feeble body and strode briskly out of the Hospital Wing.  
  
I continued to walk through the corridors searching for the common room and all the while, I was wondering to myself why I had saved her anyway. Wasn't it my ultimate wish for the Mudblood to be dead?  
  
'Ah. . . but things have changed, you are starting to respect her.' Replied the annoying little voice in the back of my mind.  
  
'I will never respect a Mudblood.' I thought stubbornly.  
  
'Well, if you aren't respecting her, then you must be concerned for her.' Said the voice knowingly.  
  
'Yes, I do admit that I was concerned for her. Though I don't know why, something must have moved in me that made me worried about her.' I thought slowly.  
  
'Love?' I angrily pushed that thought away and set my mind back to my task of finding Professor McGonagall. But the image of Hermione lying spiritlessly on the stark white hospital bed could not be erased from my mind.  
  
In my mind I could see her usually full red lips, now lightly coloured and bleeding a little from a cut in the skin which she must have made when she was biting herself, in a vague smile and her glowing skin was reduced to a dull pale hue. I shuddered at how emotionally and physically drained she seemed and sincerely hoped that by the time that I had found McGonagall, she would've woken up.  
  
But suddenly I was standing in front of the two most detested people in my life, Potty and the Weasel. My mouth automatically formed a smirk and I sneered at them,  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
Potter looked murderously at me and snarled, "What did you do to Hermione?"  
  
"Nothing!" I arranged my face into an innocent expression and looked earnestly back at the pair of them, "She was just lying looking dead on the floor near your common room so I took her to Madam Pomfrey straightaway."  
  
"She's. . .in the Hospital Wing?!" stuttered Weasley incredulously, "Malfoy! Now you're really in for it!"  
  
"Yes, Weasley, she is in the Hospital Wing. Honestly, what type of best friends are you?" I drawled, before snapping back to business, "Do you know the way to the Staff common room?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll take you there, and Ron, you go to the Hospital Wing and look after Hermione." Replied Potter looking at the Weasel meaningfully and he quickly hurried off in the direction of the Hospital Wing leaving me and Potter standing in the dark corridor alone.  
  
"We should get going, Madam Pomfrey wants me to find McGonagall quickly so she can see Granger." I said confidently and looked pointedly at The Wonder Boy.  
  
"Right. Follow me Malfoy." Replied Potter coldly leading the way, twisting through many different corridors until we arrived a cleverly concealed door that blended into the colour scheme of the wall.  
  
"This is it?" I stated wonderingly.  
  
"Yes, Malfoy. Are you going in?" he replied coolly, motioning for me to knock. I smirked and rapped crisply on the mahogany door, and after a moment Professor Snape's leering face peered around the door, though it could not be any more welcome at the moment, and his face rearranged itself into a smile.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy!" he exclaimed looking fairly surprised at seeing me, ". . . And Mr. Potter. What brings you here?"  
  
"Professor Snape, I need to speak with Professor McGonagall." I said looking beyond Snape critically at what was called the 'Staff Common Room' truthfully, it seemed quite shabby but otherwise, it was quite cozy and inviting with a bright crackling fire and huge red, blue, green and yellow armchairs, presumably representing each house.  
  
"Professor McGonagall?" repeated Snape slowly looking even more amazed, "Very well, I will ask her to speak with you, Mr. Malfoy." He retreated back into the common room and a few moments later he reappeared with a fairly disgruntled Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Well, what is it Mr. Malfoy?" she snapped closing the door behind her as she stepped through the doorframe, looking strictly at Potter and me.  
  
"It's. . .about Hermione Granger." At this her eyebrows rose and she looked suspiciously at me, not unlike the way that Madam Pomfrey had looked at me just an hour ago.  
  
"Miss Granger?" she prompted, urging me to continue.  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid that she's ended up in the Hospital Wing and Madam Pomfrey wishes for you to see her." I continued. McGonagall heaved a small sigh and she started to walk quickly down the corridor her robes sweeping grandly after her.  
  
"Come along Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter, no doubt you both are also required to visit Miss Granger." She said heavily, beckoning us to follow her.  
  
"One question Malfoy, why did you save her?" muttered Potter to me.  
  
"Potter, honestly I don't know. Perhaps it's because of my good soul." I smirked at him sarcastically and out of agitation, I quickly overtook him and walked briskly in front of him, asking myself the same question over and over again.  
  
'Why did my heart do somersaults every time I thought about Granger?'  
  
Someone's thinking about Hermione a bit too much ^^, so what do you guys think of this chapter? Review review review! =) Thanks for your support psychohart 


	6. Total Confusion

Never Say Never  
  
  
  
Chapter 6 - Total Confusion  
  
Disclaimer: do I still need to write these? Anyhow, enjoy the new chapter! =)  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"Poor thing, I wonder what happened to her. . ." "I bet it has something to do with that ferret Malfoy!" "I agree, the minute we get our hands on him, we'll throttle him to death!"  
  
The voices that I was listening to didn't seem to make sense in my mind and my eyelids felt as heavy as bricks weighing down on my eyes making everything seem so groggy and slow.  
  
I groaned and turned over in the bed, stopping abruptly at feeling the coarseness of the blanket that was covering me and suddenly my eyes opened out of their own accord and I looked wildly around at my surroundings.  
  
To my surprise I was in the Hospital Wing and the voices that I kept hearing were somewhere outside the little 'room' I was resting in fenced off by a curtain that was drawn shut. I drew my covers closer to me and I sat up, though my head was still hurting from the throbbing headache that seemed to never end and I tried to remember why on earth I was here in the first place.  
  
It didn't take me long to remember the red sinister eyes and the horrible deformed snake-like face that haunted me in my dreams, the heartless cackle and the hissing that he had made filled with hatred for all Muggle related things. Including me, the muggle-born witch.  
  
Again, my body filled with pain, as Lord Voldemort's laugh and dark phrases in Parseltongue became louder and more intense until my head was resounding with the sound of the Dark Lord. I let out a cry of pain before I sunk back down onto the white hospital bed, all the energy leeched slowly away from me and I glimpsed the angel, the wonderful angel again with the halo around it's head. . .  
  
  
  
"Hermione!" gasped Harry as he stopped talking to Parvati and Ron, they fell silent at the expression on his face as his ears strained for the littlest sound of movement from behind the flimsy curtain. Yes, he could hear her moaning softly in pain and he quickly dashed to the curtain and pulled it open hurriedly only to see Hermione sink back down onto the bed crying out in pain as she did so.  
  
"Oh my god!" whimpered Parvati, moving towards Harry for comfort, but Ron nudged her and pulled her back.  
  
"I think we should go get Madam Pomfrey first." He whispered quickly, dragging Parvati reluctantly along, leaving Harry alone with Hermione.  
  
He looked pityingly down at his long time best friend, the extremely clever witch who had her nose in a book almost every second of the day and the girl whom he had grown to admire and love.  
  
She was beautiful, not even Parvati could surpass her good looks, she was merely pretty compared to this girl who looked as angelic as an angel could be, her smooth chocolate brown hair flowing down, framing her usually lively and lovely face perfectly and as Harry's eyes travelled further down her body, he saw her hands with their thin, slender fingers, blemished with nail marks where she had dug her nails into her own skin.  
  
"Oh, Hermione." He muttered, taking one of her hands into his own and holding it lightly, "What the hell is hurting you? Why are you in pain? I mean, every other year it's been me who's had the pain and. . .you don't deserve this. You're a truly perfect girl who has every right to have a normal life, this shouldn't be happening to you look, I can already feel that you're going to do great things with all that knowledge that you have inside you. . .oh, just wake up Hermione!"  
  
She didn't move, and Harry sighed sadly and kissed her hand gently, before turning to see Madam Pomfrey, Ron and Parvati standing solemnly in the gap where the curtain had been drawn back.  
  
"Harry, that was really sweet." Whispered Parvati breathlessly as she ran forward to catch him in a tight embrace. He smiled as they drew apart and she happily gazed at him before Ron cleared his throat and gave them a look, which sternly told them to stop cuddling each other.  
  
"Well, that was quite nice of you Mr. Potter." Stated Madam Pomfrey stiffly before adding, "Now, shoo. My patient needs peace and quiet."  
  
Harry, Ron and Parvati all nodded silently and made their way out of the Hospital Wing, all turning to look back worriedly at Hermione, as if doubting that she would wake up again.  
  
"Rest assured children, that she will regain consciousness." Said Madam Pomfrey softly giving them a look of sympathy, 'They must be out of their minds with worry.' She thought sadly before looking back down at Hermione, and breathing in deeply, she set to work trying to revive the poor girl.  
  
  
  
Draco's POV  
  
I walked nonchalantly through the corridor leading to the Hospital Wing, trying to maintain a look of absolutely no concern whatsoever. But inside, I seriously couldn't believe that I was going to visit Granger again, but today my curiousity had gotten the better of me after a night of fitful sleep dreaming of the worst possible outcomes of what would happen to her.  
  
I couldn't get the thought of her out of my head and I scowled, chiding myself for thinking about her again. 'What's wrong with you Draco! Caring for a Mudblood!' there was my father's voice again, though he had never actually spoken the words to me.  
  
As I drew closer to the Hospital Wing I could find myself getting more nervous, for some unknown reason. Beads of sweat began forming on my forehead and my hands felt clammy and I needed to take a very deep breath to steady myself.  
  
'It's only Granger.' I thought to myself soothingly. 'Then why are you afraid to see her?' 'Because I don't know how she'll react.' I replied to the other voice speaking in my mind. 'Why do you care anyway?'  
  
Now, that question was going to be stored in a part of my brain which I liked to call 'Unsolvable Mysteries' along with 'Why did I save her in the first place' and 'Why did my heart flutter every time I thought about her.' I thought firmly to myself.  
  
Finally, I reached my destination and I stepped tentatively into the Hospital Wing only to be met with the sight of Madam Pomfrey bustling busily around holding vials of strange potions and when she saw me, she wore a look of kindness instead of iciness.  
  
"I've been expecting you, Mr. Malfoy. I must apologize for the last time that we met, when I accused you of hurting Miss Granger, but now taking a closer look at her condition, she was not hurt physically but mentally." Said Madam Pomfrey with grim smile.  
  
"It's alright." I replied coolly, then I looked around the bright room trying to find where Hermione was before I asked, "How is she?"  
  
"She's in a quite stable condition actually, she woke up only a few hours ago but due to probably a headache or another bout of pain she collapsed back into unconsciousness." Madam Pomfrey sighed, before leading me to one of the beds with a curtain drawn around it and smiling at me indicating that I could go in.  
  
"Thank you." I said politely and Madam Pomfrey strode briskly back to her office, allowing me some privacy. I gasped when I saw Hermione again, her face looked extremely troubled and she wore a frown on her brow.  
  
I quickly sat down on the wicker chair next to her bed and gazed intently at her, taking in every contour of her face, with her high cheekbones and milky skin which I had to fight the desire to touch. Her silky hair was just a little bit ruffled from her sleep and her lips were pressed firmly together, giving her a look of determination.  
  
I was just marveling at how peaceful she looked when she slept well, at least how beautiful she looked when she wasn't giving me a stare that could kill, when she stirred and a moan escaped from her lips while her eyelashes fluttered and her eyes began to open.  
  
'Oh shit.' I thought to myself, 'What will she think when she sees me?!'  
  
I began to panic but before I could get myself out of her sight, she had already seen me and I tried to look completely innocent, as if this was the most normal thing on earth, me coming to sit next to her when she was in hospital, just waking up from a coma-like sleep.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here Malfoy?!" she exclaimed, her depthless brown eyes widening.  
  
"I. . .err. . .was just visiting you." I stammered before she gave me another one of her icy cold looks and her eyes looked disbelievingly at me.  
  
"How did I get here?" she asked wearily.  
  
"I brou - actually I don't know." I quickly said thinking to myself, 'It's better if she doesn't know, otherwise she might kill me for doing so.'  
  
"For doing what, Malfoy?" she asked, looked expectantly at me. Damn. She could hear my thoughts.  
  
"I. . ." I couldn't get the words out of my mouth and my eyes remained fixed on her, all the while wondering to myself just why I was acting so strangely. It was nothing to be ashamed of, saving a person's life, but the thing was, it wasn't just any person. . . it was her.  
  
"Well?" she said still looking at me, though her patience was wearing thin.  
  
"I was just looking for you when I found you near the Gryffindor Tower screaming. Then you fainted or passed out so I brought you here." I said in a flat voice, now refusing to look at her, though I could feel the moment that her mouth formed an 'o' of surprise.  
  
"Why didn't you leave me there to die?" she whispered incredulously, looking disbelievingly at me again. But this time I didn't have an explanation, no one knew why, not even me.  
  
"None of your business Granger." I drawled, risking a look at her, now she was sitting up straight on her bed and she was looking as radiant as ever, with colour returning to her face and her eyes shining in the harsh sunlight from the window behind her.  
  
"It is my business, Malfoy. I want to know why you saved me. I deserve to know." She replied firmly. And she had a point.  
  
"Because I . . ." there I stopped. How could I tell her that I. . .no, I didn't love her, I couldn't. She continued to look questioningly at me and unable to stand the tension I got up and swiftly left the Hospital Wing still feeling utterly confused with myself.  
  
  
  
Hermione sat back onto her bed with a sigh, she couldn't understand what Malfoy was getting at. Why couldn't he just tell her why had done it, it wasn't a hard question to answer, she thought bitterly.  
  
But he was gone now, and the last look that he had given her with those grey-blue eyes of his had contained an emotion that she couldn't place, because she had never seen it in him, he was usually emotionless, apart from the times when he taunted Harry, Ron and herself.  
  
And the other question in her ever-subtle mind was why he was sitting next to her bed anyway! This was becoming more and more of a twisted riddle to Hermione, who's brain wasn't as quick as it usually was and that annoyed her to no end.  
  
'I wish that I could listen to his thoughts now.' She thought to herself distractedly and suddenly, her eyes glimpsed something lying on the floor beside her bed. She quickly scrambled down from the bed and picked up a piece of parchment, which was filled with words written in a handwriting that Hermione hadn't seen before.  
  
'I don't know what I'm thinking. Her face keeps on flashing in my mind and it's starting to haunt me, I have already spent a night tossing about, unable to rid that beautiful face from my memory. What is going to happen?! What if I begin to love her?! I sincerely hope not, that would be the most disastrous thing to happen, should Father find out. . .' From then onwards the rest of the letter had been torn away, and Hermione sat limply back down onto the bed with a million thoughts racing through her mind.  
  
  
  
Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up ^^, I think I partied a bit too much over new year =) Anyway, please review! [the more you review the faster the new chapter will come! I promise!] psychohart 


	7. Insomnia

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 7 - Insomnia  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing except the plot so don't sue me.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"Finally!" exclaimed Ron as he took my duffel bag from me as I walked out of the Hospital Wing, after being confined there for about four days.  
  
"I could say the same thing." I replied looking wistfully back at the infirmary, "I'm gonna miss this place I think actually."  
  
"Haha, very funny Mione. Let's get back to Gryffindor Tower, everyone's been missing our favourite Prefect!" Ron smiled sweetly as he said this and took my hand shyly in his pulling me along the hallway.  
  
"Ron, has it ever occurred to you that I'm the only Prefect in Gryffindor?" I said shrewdly looking pointedly at him.  
  
"Oh. . .must've. . .slipped my mind. . ." he stuttered, quickly letting go of my hand in embarrassment and his face went as red as his hair, turning a deep scarlet. He looked sheepishly at me and motioned for me to continue following him.  
  
I chuckled and obediently did so, marveling at the fact that this guy standing in front of me used to be always in Harry's shadow, Harry being the one with all the fame and 'courage'. But Ron had proved himself to the world and I suppose he's also become one of the most admired people in our year, because after all, Harry always had a sidekick with him all the times. . .be it Ron or me!  
  
I stepped gingerly through the portrait hole after giving the Fat Lady the password 'Mushroom patch' I sighed happily settling myself into one of the armchairs by the warm crackling fire.  
  
"This, is life." I proclaimed watching the flames lick the top of the fireplace and snuggling myself deeper into the folds of the material.  
  
"Mione, I'm gonna go get Harry ok?" said Ron softly patting me on the head fondly, "Be back soon."  
  
"Uhhuh." I replied drowsily already starting to drift into an irresistible sleep that was taking over me.  
  
I slipped into a surreal world, it was dark and I could see nothing at all, except a glimmer of silvery hair here and there. It was awfully cold and a gale force wind seemed to be sweeping through this place, making everything flap and some things would even start flying around in the wind.  
  
Suddenly, dimly I heard a voice.  
  
"Yes my lord. It shall be done." Came a whisper in clipped tones, the very voice itself was cool and suave, though in a place as dark as this, there was no doubt that this person was dark himself and what distracted me more, was that he sounded familiar.  
  
I moved, trying to catch a glimpse of who it was and as I saw the person's face, I could feel myself being wrenched out of this place and I let out a piercing scream, unable to contain my horror at the person who was speaking.  
  
"Hermione! Wake up!" someone was shaking me awake and I willingly opened my eyes, happy to get away from that nightmare I was having, "Are you alright Mione?" Harry's emerald eyes were gazing concernedly into my own.  
  
"I'm fine Harry! I just got out of the Hospital Wing, of course I'm alright!" I said cheerily, acting as though nothing had happened.  
  
"You were screaming again. . . I just thought that. . .maybe you were having a bad dream or something. . ." mumbled Harry quietly.  
  
"No, I'm alright. Seriously!" I looked at him reassuringly and fished around for another conversation starter, "So, how's Parvati?"  
  
"She's great!" beamed Harry smiling mischievously at me. Well, there's someone who was having a great year. I smiled encouragingly back at him and I laughed suddenly, remembering that Ron was there as well.  
  
"Ron, why are you so silent today?!" I exclaimed pulling him down to sit down on the carpet next to me, "You guys have got to tell me everything that went on since I've been away." I looked eagerly at them as they swapped a look that clearly meant that something HAD happened.  
  
"Go on, spill the beans!" I said calmly looking at them expectantly.  
  
"Well. . ." stuttered Ron nervously, Harry saw this nervousness and continued on confidently.  
  
"Lavender's been throwing herself at Ronnekins here asking him to go to the Yule Ball with her, even though that's like a few months away and he's been getting very annoyed and grumpy, and he wants you to do something about it."  
  
"What?!" I replied in an astonished tone of voice, what on earth could that mean?  
  
"He means, he wants you to talk with Lavender about him. . .you know maybe hint to her that he might not like her. . ." said Harry heavily.  
  
"Why don't you ask Parvati to do that, Harry they're best friends!" I replied quickly.  
  
"Oh, you know Parvati, she would rather kill herself than tell Lavender that Ron doesn't like her." He replied airily looking triumphantly at me.  
  
"Ugh. Well . . . alright. . .just this once. I'm never doing something like this again, this includes any arguments that happens with Parvati and you, Harry." I said defeatedly, sighing exasperatedly. I had just gotten out of the infirmary and they decided to tell me that I had to play the bitch to Lavender.  
  
"Thanks Mione!" cried Ron suddenly getting up and giving me a huge hug, which nearly crushed me.  
  
"Ron! You're suffocating me!" I wheezed.  
  
"What? Oh! Sorry Mione!" he exclaimed giving me another sheepish smile and letting go of me.  
  
"It's alright. Well, I guess I better be heading up to my dorm to catch up on some sleep." I said with a yawn, "And I'll chat to Lavi about it ok?"  
  
"Night."  
  
  
  
[Later that night in the girl's dorm in Gryffindor Tower]  
  
I tossed and turned but I still couldn't get to sleep, my dreams weren't dreams anymore, they were nightmares. Silvery hair, cruel laughter and horrible curses were still haunting my sleep and I kept on seeing Malfoy, Draco Malfoy in midst of it all, as a Death Eater answering to Voldemort's call.  
  
I buried my head in my soft pillow and willed myself to go to sleep, I could feel myself getting wearier but my mind showed no sign of shutting down for the night. I slowly got up and walked to the window, which was glinting in the moonlight, and I opened it, feeling the keen night breeze on my face.  
  
I looked down and saw the lake glittering, bathed in the moonlight as well and it seemed so beautiful, so tranquil and serene. I breathed in the fresh air that was streaming through the opening and taking one last look at the great mass of water below me I closed the window and put on a light long jacket because I was only wearing a thin silk nightie.  
  
Then I realized that I had left the Invisibility Cloak that Harry and Ron had bought for me a year ago for Christmas and I knew that I needed it tonight. Putting a silencing spell on my trunk I opened it soundlessly and took out the Invisibility Cloak before closing the trunk again and putting on the cloak over my other jacket.  
  
I slipped quietly out of the dorm and made my way down the stairs and through the common room without a sound and as soon as I got out of the portrait hole I sighed in relief.  
  
I quickly decided that I needed a nice long bath tonight to calm my nerves down, they were working overtime so I walked briskly through the corridors that twisted and turned through the network of Hogwarts and finally I found myself at the statue of Boris the Bewildered, a most welcome sight.  
  
"Lemon lime." I whispered and the door next to the statue creaked open and I stepped into the beautiful Prefect's Bathroom, which was possibly one of my favourite places in Hogwarts apart from Gryffindor Tower. Quickly I locked the door behind me and slipped off my Invisibility Cloak leaving it on one of the hangers near the giant bath along with my long jacket, nightie and underwear.  
  
I sighed happily as I slipped into the bath filled with an assortment of different bubbles in all the colours of the rainbow and in different shapes and densities. I smiled indulgently thinking about what Ron and Harry were missing, by not being Prefects and I sunk myself lower into the foam enjoying myself immensely.  
  
Suddenly I was aware of something watching me and I whipped my head around looking wildly everywhere in the bathroom and my eyes locked with another pair of blue-grey ones. My shrill scream would've woken up the whole school if the bathroom hadn't been placed under a spell that made it soundproof and I hurriedly checked that that ferret couldn't see anything under all the foam.  
  
"Well Granger, I must say it took you quite awhile to realize that I was here." There was his famous smirk again and that voice which was starting to haunt me.  
  
"Malfoy! How long have you been in here?! And why the hell are you here anyway!" I spat furiously back at him.  
  
"For your information I am a Prefect too, so this isn't breaking the rules or anything, I have just as much right as you do to be in here. Oh, and I've been in here long enough to know that you've got a great figure Granger." Malfoy smiled cunningly and just then I realized that he was only clad in a towel around his waist, my attention was soon drawn to his toned muscles from Quidditch and broad chest. So this was what the girls are all crazy about, Malfoy's perfect body.  
  
I quickly shook my head in an effort to rid myself of thinking about Malfoy's body and back to the fact that he had been watching me take a bath.  
  
"You saw me. . .?!" I choked out disbelievingly.  
  
"That's right." His smile grew wider and there was another flicker of emotion that flashed across his face before he began walking slowly towards the bath himself.  
  
"Malfoy! What do you want?!" I gasped as he neared me and as soon as he was standing next to the edge of the bath, he sat down on the tiled floor stretching his long legs.  
  
"Nothing, just to have a nice long chat with you Hermione." He said with a slight quaver in his voice. One thing that I noticed was that he had called me something other than 'Mudblood' and 'Granger'. The next thing that I noticed in shock was that he was trying to make decent conversation with me. Jesus Christ, what was wrong with him?!  
  
"Malfoy, is there something wrong with you? Lack of sleep?" I replied questioningly.  
  
"No, of course not. Is there a problem with me and acting civil towards you? Look Hermione, we've known each other for about 6 years and all we've done is fight. Now that we're both Prefects and we're gonna have to work together, why don't we get to know each other in a good way?" he said softly not daring to meet my eyes. I was slightly freaked out at this kind of behaviour from him and I didn't quite know what to do so I decided to pinch myself, just to check that I hadn't fallen asleep and all this was just a dream.  
  
"Ouch!" I exclaimed and Malfoy started in shock before he leaned over and whispered,  
  
"What's wrong Hermione?" God, even his voice had changed and become more concerned and sincere.  
  
"Nothing Malfoy, nothing." I replied stubbornly rubbing the spot where I had pinched myself once more before turning around to face him.  
  
"Alright, so what do you say to getting to know each other?" he asked again quietly with a bit of hopefulness in his voice.  
  
"One question before I answer you, why do you want to get to know me and I know that we called a truce, but this is going a bit far." I said reasonably.  
  
"I. . .just don't wanna leave Hogwarts with enemies on my tail, powerful smart enemies like you." He said lightly. I blushed slightly at being called 'powerful and smart' before collecting myself and replying,  
  
"So you just don't want to be killed my Harry, Ron and me when we get out of school?" I said calmly, and he nodded, "Well, that just makes you all the more despicable in my mind, Malfoy. You selfish brat."  
  
With that I looked around for my garments and seeing that they were still hanging on the wall next to Malfoy, I cursed myself for not bringing my wand. Ugh, I was stuck in the bath with him being the one with the more control.  
  
"Malfoy, just one favour, get my clothes please." I stated icily.  
  
"Wha- what?!" he was still in shock from being called a selfish brat after trying to be friendly I suppose, and I looked pointedly at the wall beside him, "Er. . .here."  
  
"Thanks." I said emotionlessly before staring coldly at him again, "Turn around." He did so obediently and I stepped out of the bath and quickly put on my underwear and nightie before exhaling slowly. I put on my long black jacket and just as I was about to slip on my Invisibility Cloak, he spoke again.  
  
"Listen Hermione, I didn't mean it the way that you thought I did, I just want -" I smoothly cut him off,  
  
"Get out of the way, Malfoy." I growled and putting on my Invisibility Cloak I forced my way past him leaving him standing desolately near the door as I slipped past him and slammed the door in his face.  
  
"Ha, serves him right for all the things he's ever done to Harry, Ron and me." I muttered to myself as I started to make my way back to Gryffindor Tower, but I couldn't ignore the feeling that I had done something awfully wrong.  
  
  
  
Hey guys! Im so sorry that I didn't get this chapter up very quickly, I had to put some thought into this one so I hoped that you guys liked it =) please review!  
  
Thanks to my reviewers =) - esp. to Hedwig7up for continuing to review, made me very very happy =) and thanks to everyone else who gave me encouraging words!!  
  
psychohart 


	8. Blood Prints

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 8 - Blood Prints  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Hermione or Draco or Harry or Ron or Hogwarts.  
  
A/N: ok, whenever I don't put a '. . .'s POV' then that means its just in general POV, everything is written from a bystander's POV, just to clear things up if people have been confused about the POV changes. Cheers!  
  
The door slammed painfully in Draco's face and he let out a long sigh. What did he do wrong this time? He wondered to himself exasperatedly and absently he flicked a strand of silver blonde hair out of his eyes, which had turned steely grey again.  
  
"Damn." He muttered before he began to punch the wall in frustration, "Why does she have to act like that to me?!"  
  
Draco stared at the hard wall, now stained with a bit of his blood and swore under his breath when he saw the gash on his hand. He ran a finger over the wound and looked numbly at the scarlet liquid, which had trailed onto the ground, and with a roll of his eyes he exited the bathroom quietly closing the door behind him.  
  
  
  
[A few corridors away from the Prefect's Bathroom]  
  
"Damn." Hermione muttered to herself as her guilty conscience took hold of her and she started to make her way back to the Prefect's Bathroom, just in case he was still there.  
  
'But what if he's not? What if he's really annoyed at me?!' she wondered to herself sadly, the stark feeling of regret hitting her hard. 'I shouldn't be regretting anything, not being Malfoy's friend is fine with me. . .'  
  
She turned a few more corners and she was standing in front of the statue again, taking a deep breath she whispered 'Lemon lime' and as the door swung open again, she felt utterly disappointed when there wasn't a trace of blonde hair anywhere.  
  
But Hermione dismissed the disappointment along with the regret that she felt earlier because after all, Gryffindors never felt regret or disappointment for the filthy Slytherins she told herself firmly, willing herself to believe in that for her own sake.  
  
Hermione looked at the bath again and the events, which had happened earlier, replayed themselves in her head, making her realize for the first time that something had changed in Malfoy, he wasn't so nasty anymore. 'Maybe he was telling the truth when he said he wanted to be friends.' Thought Hermione slowly, as she saw his face fall when she told him that he was despicable.  
  
Then suddenly she stopped walking towards the bath, she whipped her head around and looked back at a spot near the door and her eyes widened when she saw the little pool of blood next to a wall with red spots cluttered around a particular area.  
  
Hermione quickly ran back to that pool of blood and examined it closely, noticing that it wasn't there when she first came into the bathroom, to take a midnight bath. 'But. . .that would mean that the blood was spilled here after I left Malfoy. . .' thought Hermione incredulously, 'How many Prefects are on the loose after midnight?!'  
  
Then another thought struck her and it made perfect sense.  
  
Malfoy.  
  
  
  
Draco's POV  
  
I looked curiously around at this place that I had stumbled into, it appeared to be a sort of old common room. I honestly had no idea how I had gotten in here or anything but I didn't really care, all I wanted to do was sleep my pain away. I touched the fabric of one of the armchairs tentatively and feeling the smooth velvet underneath my finger, I slumped groggily into the armchair, not remembering that I was out and about exploring the school sometime around midnight.  
  
"Need sleep. . ." I mumbled to myself before dropping off and sinking into a world of dark dreams curling up in the soft armchair.  
  
  
  
"Aha." Whispered Hermione as she found another drop of blood on the carpet and she was still wondering to herself why the hell she was out here tracking down Malfoy by the drops of blood he had left whilst walking to wherever he was right now.  
  
"Damn him, why does he have to make me feel so guilty." She muttered under her breath as her eyes saw another elusive drop of blood and she crept forward slowly, still under the protection of her Invisibility Cloak.  
  
She fingered the chain that was around her neck smiling in spite of herself when she thought about who had given it to her. Harry had been out in Diagon Alley with her when she saw this beautiful silver necklace with a pendant in the shape of an angel on display and was contemplating on buying it when Harry had smiled at her and stopped her from buying it.  
  
Months later she had opened a small parcel and saw the silver chain sparkling at her with a small note from Harry telling her that it was her birthday present in advance and even now, just thinking about it brought a smile to Hermione's face.  
  
"Oh well, must get on with it." She grumbled shaking herself awake from her straying thoughts and she stealthily continued to creep along the corridor where Malfoy's 'blood prints' seemed to be leading her and she was just congratulating herself on not being caught all night when -  
  
"Yes my sweet, sniff them out, sniff them out Mrs. Norris, sniff those treacherous students up late at night wandering around like fools. They should've known that we'll get them some day!" Filch's leering voice hissed to his beloved cat who's eyes were sweeping in the hallway before her.  
  
Panicking, Hermione realized that if she didn't move quickly, Mrs. Norris would be able to sense her, Invisibility Cloak or not. 'Why did I have to take a bath with lots of fragrant bubbles?!' she thought with a shake of her head at her stupidity and without thinking she turned to her right and ran for her life.  
  
"What the. . ." whispered Hermione disbelievingly to herself as she stopped suddenly looking at the substance that she had just gone through.  
  
It was a solid wall, and she had just passed through it. 'Wow, I didn't know that this cloak could let me slip through walls. . .' she thought incredulously. She could see Mrs. Norris and Filch through a little spot in the wall pacing around the corridor at the exact spot where she had been standing only a few moments earlier. Filch was looking expectantly at his cat. When he realized that they had failed in finding whoever was wandering around after curfew, he cursed loudly and walked away skulking.  
  
Hermione collapsed, letting herself lean lightly against the wall that had saved her from detention and marveled at the fact that she had found yet another secret room in the school.  
  
She glanced around and saw many different armchairs of varying shapes and sizes and an old disused fireplace and there were also several paintings hanging on the other walls in the rectangular room, though the subjects of the portraits were all snoozing contentedly in their frames.  
  
"This is certainly a very interesting night." Muttered Hermione absently to herself. With a small smile on her face she got up to explore the room further but as she was getting up she accidentally scraped the back of her neck on the rough wall behind her.  
  
"Shit!" she gasped as her right hand found the place that was bleeding near the nape of her neck and it was bleeding quite profusely, much to her dismay. 'Guess I'll have to get back to my own common room, but I'll find this place again some day, I know it.' She thought wistfully to herself, realizing that this was actually an old common room.  
  
"Brilliant!" she breathed happily, taking in just one last view of the grand old room before she touched the wall behind her gingerly making sure that it would work when she tried to walk through it again.  
  
"I'll be back. . ."she whispered to the room as she slipped quietly from it's boundaries and back into the corridor. Little did she know that something else had also slipped quietly from her as she was leaving the room. . .  
  
  
  
[Still in the 'mysterious' common room]  
  
Draco stirred in his sleep and when he stretched out languidly, he hit his feet on the mahogany coffee table in front of him.  
  
"Bollocks!" He exclaimed before coming to his senses and realizing that he wasn't in his warm four poster bed in the Slytherin common room. He looked warily around the room that he WAS in and saw with a shock that it was the place that he faintly remembered to be an old common room which he had accidentally walked into before he fell into a deep sleep.  
  
Looking hopefully at the window opposite him he sighed in relief when he saw weak strands of grey light streaming through. 'Well, at least I'm not late for anything.' He thought with a grin and he stood up looking at his watch.  
  
"4.21 am." He stated before continue to mutter to himself, "Plenty of time to get back to the Slytherin common room."  
  
He looked around at the room again and swore loudly when he saw no door. 'How the hell am I supposed to get out of here?!' he thought desperately to himself.  
  
Suddenly something on the ground caught the feeble light from the window and it winked at him, inviting him to pick it up. He strode over and bent down to examine whatever was glittering in the sunlight and his whistled appreciatively when he saw that it was a delicate silver chain with a pendant of an angel with a crystal set in the middle of it.  
  
"Wonder who left it here. . ." he muttered under his breath before slipping it into his pocket, "Finders keepers."  
  
Then he remembered that he was stuck in a common room that didn't actually have a door so he was basically trapped.  
  
"Damn. Damn. Damn." He leaned on the wall behind him in defeat and heaved a long sigh settling himself in for a long wait for rescue when -  
  
"What the hell?!" He had hit his head on solid ground as he was leaning back onto the wall and shaking his head and helping himself up he saw that he had passed through the wall that he had been leaning on previously.  
  
"This is incredible!" he gasped realizing that he had found the exit from the room. He was back in the hallway from which he dimly remembered that he had been in sometime earlier in the night and quickly glancing around to check where he was in the school as well as checking to see if anyone else was around he grinned confidently and set off in the direction of the Slytherin common room.  
  
  
  
"What an incredible night." breathed Hermione to herself as she got back into bed after putting both her cloaks back in their respective positions and relaxing her body in her soft bed.  
  
Her hand went back to the base of her neck to check whether her spell to heal it had worked and smiling she felt the smooth skin under her palm. But the smile quickly turned into a frown as she felt the absence of the fine chain that Harry had bought her.  
  
She fumbled around in her bed for it, surely it had just slipped off as she got in but to her immense disappointment there was absolutely no trace of a necklace against the white linen.  
  
"Shit." She mumbled and she got out of her comfortable four poster and knelt down on the floor patting around blindly in the semi darkness. "It's gotta be here somewhere."  
  
"Eh. Is that you Hermione?" Parvati said in a muffled voice still half- asleep. She opened one eye blearily and saw her room mate on all fours looking for something. "What are you doing? It's not dawn yet."  
  
"I lost my necklace, you know the one with the angel and the crystal set in it." Hermione replied softly banging her fist on the ground in frustration.  
  
"Listen Mione, maybe we'll find it in the morning ok? Let me get some beauty sleep first, then I'll help you later, I'm sure it's not gonna move on legs to a different place during the rest of our sleep." Said Parvati slowly trying to reason with a frantic Hermione.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Thanks Parvati." She replied defeatedly climbing back into her bed and falling asleep quickly though subconsciously she realized that this was going to be one of her first nightmare free sleeps for a long time. . .  
  
  
  
  
  
Draco smiled lightly as he looked at the beautiful chain in his palm again. 'I'll bet that Pansy will love this. Shame that she won't be getting it.' He thought jokingly to himself.  
  
Once again, sleep was quickly taking over him and his eyelids drooped dangerously obscuring his vision and in a moment, there was deep even breathing announcing that Draco had fallen into a deep sleep himself and there was still a smile playing around the edges of his mouth.  
  
i - A Dream  
  
He was dragged to the centre of the dungeon and thrown pitilessly on the cold hard stone. His head banged on the ground and a slow trickle of red blood leaked out of a cut on the side of his scalp.  
  
"What do you want." Draco said groggily, his head muddled and clouded.  
  
"Your soul." Whispered a soft voice, yes soft but cunning.  
  
"My. . .my soul?" replied Draco incredulously beginning to doubt this man's sanity, "Why?!"  
  
"The mudblood." Was the voice's reply before Draco's world went black and everything disappeared. /i  
  
  
  
Ok, if the italics don't show up, then dun blame me, just teach me how to put italics in ok?  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and keep it coming! Thanks again guys and hope u like this chapter! =) Review! psychohart 


	9. Truth And Understanding

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 9 - Truth and Understanding  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing and I have no money so PLEASE, don't sue me!  
  
Draco's POV  
  
I woke with a start, my pulse racing and cold sweat pouring down my pale face and my hand clenched into a fist subconsciously as my mind replayed the dream. Lord Voldemort. Wanting my soul. A Mudblood. The separate phrases floated about in my brain for a few moments before finally making sense.  
  
The Dark Lord wanted my soul to get to a Mudblood . . .Hermione! Oh shit, how on earth does He know about the bond between her and me? I mean why He would want Hermione out of all Mudbloods in the Wizarding world is beyond me but all the same I was worried, extremely worried.  
  
Suddenly I felt something sharp digging into the palm of my hand and as I opened my fingers I saw something that seemed even more dazzling than it seemed the night before, the silver chain with the angel pendant.  
  
It lay still in my sweaty palm and as I watched, several beams of light reflected off the clear crystal set in the centre making it glint with a blinding flash. I smiled inwardly marveling at the beauty, which seemed almost . . .hypnotic.  
  
Tearing my eyes away I looked at the clock sitting on my teak bedside table and I reluctantly got up from my warm toasty bed. Stretching wearily I stumbled to my trunk and flung it open haphazardly randomly taking out a set of jet black Hogwarts robes as well as a pair of black jeans [of course I knew they were a Muggle invention, but after attending Muggle Studies for a few years, I discovered that they were actually quite useful.] and a gray knitted sweater which I pulled on after the jeans.  
  
I swung the robes over my shoulder before realizing that I was still holding the chain. I distractedly left it on my bedside table next to the clock and walked to the bathroom, noting that the others had not woken up yet; Crabbe and Goyle were both trying to outdo each other with their snoring whilst Blaise [A/N I heard that Blaise was a guys name, but in other fics I've read Blaise was a girl so stuff it, I'm making Blaise a boy =)] was muttering in his sleep, which was mostly incoherent though I caught a 'Pansy I love you' here and there.  
  
'Fuck. Where on earth could it be?! Oh god, I can't believe I lost it!' The thought made its way into my mind making me stop in my tracks in confusion. I wondered what the hell it was doing there; it was completely different from my line of thought. Then I realized that it was Hermione's thought. I smacked my forehead muttering, 'dumbass' but I also realized at the same time that I hadn't exchanged thoughts with Hermione for awhile. . . and that could only mean one thing. . .  
  
  
  
Hermione's POV [In the Gryffindor Common Room.]  
  
'Oh my god, I wonder how Harry's going to react.' I thought to myself worriedly as my best friend stood towering over me looking expectant, waiting for my answer to his question.  
  
"Hermione? Are you alright?" he asked softly, "Did you hear my question?"  
  
"Um. . .err. . . I . . .well. . . " I mumbled in response not daring to meet his eyes.  
  
"What are you looking for? Do you need any help?" he repeated with a tone of voice that suggested that he was talking to a child.  
  
"Harry I lost the necklace." I blurted out suddenly chancing a quick glance in his direction.  
  
"The. . .silver angel necklace?" he asked quietly, squatting down to be level with me on the floor.  
  
"Yes. . .listen I'm really sorry Harry! I didn't know how I lost it, or when I did or where it is now or anything. . .oh I'm sorry." I said apologetically, sniffing my nose for an extra effect. Harry then smiled comfortingly and put an arm around my shoulders drawing my closer to him, so close that I could hear his heart beating in his broad chest.  
  
"Don't worry Mione, we'll find it and if we don't, I'll buy you another one." He said warmly peering down at me with a wide grin.  
  
"Thanks Harry, I mean you know it's not the same or anything but -" Harry just nodded and put a finger to my lips to silence me.  
  
"Come on, we better get down to the Great Hall for breakfast. I'll bet Parvati is waiting for me and. . .well Ron must be waiting for you." He said pulling me up with him as he stood up, but seeing a confused look on my face he quickly added, "And he's also waiting for me too."  
  
"Alright then Harry, but. . .is there something that you two aren't telling me?" I asked tentatively not wishing to probe too much. I climbed through the Portrait Hole and continued to look at Harry intently.  
  
"What? No, of course not Mione, you're our best friend why would we be keeping any secrets from you?" he replied hastily, flashing me a half- hearted smile.  
  
"Well, for starters that day when I came back from the Hospital Wing you were going to say something but then Ron must've shot you a Look or something because you suddenly changed the topic to Lavender liking him. What was all that about?!" I asked, as we walked down the deserted corridor, we were quickly nearing breakfast.  
  
"Oh, that! Nothing! It was exactly what we said. That Lavender liking Ron was getting on his nerves, and you know Ron, he wouldn't go straight up to poor Lavi and tell her that he's not interested because firstly he's got the guts of a chicken and the face of a tomato when you force him to do it anyway." He answered with a relish flashing me another one of those genuine smiles.  
  
"Fine. I give up, you're not going to tell me anything. Is it because I'm a girl?!" I teased gently, bringing up the subject that never failed to make Harry and Ron feel uncomfortable.  
  
"'Course not Mione! We love you for that, you know that!" he replied chuckling, giving me an affectionate pat on the head, "Anyway, we've missed half of the meal. Thanks a lot genius!"  
  
"Oh, that's right go talk to Parvati! Don't worry about me!" I replied huffily as he broke away from my side to saunter what he hoped was casually towards his girlfriend, though you could see that he was itching to run up to her and give her a huge hug and have a full fledged make out session.  
  
I giggled to myself at the thought and I continued to walk in a straight line towards the other side of the Gryffindor table where Ron and Lavender were sitting apparently engrossed in conversation.  
  
As I neared them I caught snippets of what they were talking about; 'Yes, and my mum decided to call me Lavender because she thought I looked a lot like my great grandma who lives in Wales. Her name was Lavender as well! Isn't that odd? Anyway, Parvati always thought that my mum called me Lavender because the shade of purple called 'lavender' looks fabulous on me. But that's a different story. So, how about you, why did your parents call you Ron? I'll bet it's because you were the most adorable son they had. I mean Bill, Charlie and Percy are such dreary old names, but the name Ron has so much character to it. . .'  
  
I raised an eyebrow at this and the moment that Ron saw me standing to the side listening in on their conversation [or rather Lavender's rambling] his eyes immediately lit up and they grew wide, his eyebrows were also raised but there was something in his expression that suggested that he had had enough of Lavender and that he hadn't really been listening to her all along.  
  
"Hermione! Good morning!" he said with a false cheery voice, looking past Lavender straight back at me. She turned and when she saw me and positively squealed.  
  
"Hermione! Here, I saved you a seat. Come over and we'll have a bit of a chat!" she beamed and patted the empty chair next to her. I strolled over and plopped myself down beside her and turned to her, with an expectant expression on my face.  
  
"Oh my god, I just have to tell you ALL about the conversation I just had with Ron, I don't know what you were saying when you said that he wasn't very interesting. He's amazing! And what was that load of rubbish about how he didn't easily like people? If I didn't know better, I would say that he liked me!" Lavender whispered excitedly to me, her eyes bright with joy. She continued to go on in a low voice about what Ron had said or done before I had gotten here, but I wasn't concentrating anymore, I was more concentrated on something that had just occurred to me.  
  
Something that had to do with Malfoy.  
  
  
  
Draco's POV  
  
I walked briskly to the Slytherin table and when I looked around I was surprised to find that Hermione hadn't arrived at the Great Hall yet. Sweeping my eyes further along the wretched table I found that Potter wasn't there either. My mind was actually playing rather disgusting scenarios, which included Hermione snogging Scarface in the Transfiguration classroom but I quickly pushed the thought out of my head before I needed to vomit.  
  
Sitting down in my usual spot between Crabbe and Goyle I found my eyes locked into a gaze with another pair of pale blue eyes. Pansy. Great, just what I needed right now to distract me, a foul brat of a girl who couldn't keep her grubby claws off me. True, she was from a wealthy pureblood family, which had associations with my own family but honestly I couldn't stand her, even if I did have to take her to the Yule Ball because Father expected me to.  
  
"Draco! I've been waiting for you! I've got a little something for you." She purred and flickered her eyes at me 'seductively' [or so she thought] before she handed me a small green box tied with a silver ribbon. Typical, Slytherin colours.  
  
"Open it!" she urged, smiling her simpering smile. My curiousity took hold of me and I slid the ribbon off and took off the lid of the cardboard box. Inside was a white gold ring that had elaborate carvings etched all over it and glancing at Pansy once again I realized that she had a matching ring on her chubby middle finger on her left hand.  
  
"Well, thank you Pansy. It was very thoughtful of you to think of me when you bought your ring. But I actually find it un-manly to wear jewelry so I'm afraid that I can't accept it." I said in a cool voice.  
  
"But, Draco . . . can't you please wear for me? Just this one ring, come on. Do it for me!" she coaxed trying to slip the ring onto my corresponding finger. I snatched my hand out of her grasp and gave her an icy look.  
  
"What I do with my hand is my business Pansy. If you consider yourself more important than myself, than I strongly suggest that you take a good look in the mirror at yourself." I said with a hint of contempt as I stood up to leave the Hall. I didn't intend to stay any longer in the company of that pig.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle both stood up as I began to stroll back out of the Hall but I threw them one look which told them to go away. I needed some time alone to think.  
  
  
  
[Lunchtime]  
  
Hermione stepped out of the Transfiguration classroom after staying behind to ask Professor McGonagall about how to Transfigure animate objects into reptiles and she found Harry and Ron standing outside waiting patiently for her.  
  
"Thanks for waiting guys." She said a little breathlessly, "But I'm going to the Library this lunchtime. I've got something that I have to research."  
  
The boys both groaned simultaneously at this statement and they waved goodbye to Hermione who was already heading towards her beloved sanctuary whilst muttering about 'wasting their precious time on girls.'  
  
Hermione was smiling to herself as she practiced the spell over and over in her mind, she knew that she could do it but she wasn't sure how well. Shrugging her shoulders she continued to walk through the hallway leading to the Library, she could already see the wooden doors marking the entrance faintly on the other side.  
  
"I thought I'd be finding you here." A dark shadow came over me as somebody stood over me, I got the feeling of de ja vu since Harry had towered over me just this morning, asking me what I was looking for.  
  
I looked up and into the eyes of Malfoy. That was more or less expected by now anyway, I had grown accustomed to seeing him at unexpected times.  
  
"Yes Malfoy? What do you want today?" I asked suavely, trying to push the memories of last night away.  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
  
  
Hey guys! Oh my god I'm really so sorry about the LONG delay between these 2 chapters but I was so busy these 2 weeks that I couldn't fit it in. And anyway, I had writer's block, so forgive me. So, now we have a cliffy, please review and hopefully a new chapter will be up soon! =) Stay tuned, Love, psychohart 


	10. Apologies

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 10 - Apologies  
  
Disclaimer: Usual story.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
I pulled Hermione swiftly along by the hand until we reached the Prefect's Bathroom where I stopped abruptly, jolting her to a halt behind me. Her eyes widened as she saw where we were and I thought that I could see a faint tinge of pink gracing her milky skin.  
  
"Why are we here Malfoy?" she asked softly, speaking for the first time since I had told her that we needed to talk. There was a strange expression on her face, as though she was remembering something.  
  
"Strictly because no one else can come in here except for the other Prefects. I would think that you had already worked that out with that extra large brain of yours." I replied snappily as I opened the door, after making sure no one else was around.  
  
"You forgot to say the password." That was the icy reply that I got from Hermione who was looking slightly disgruntled at my half insult.  
  
"Oh." I muttered sheepishly before saying the password 'Lemon lime' and turning the handle, which in turn opened the door fully this time. The sparkling marble bathroom gleamed as we went in and I heard the lock click as Hermione shut the door behind us, mumbling something about how hard House Elves had to work to keep up the clean state of the bathroom.  
  
"Alright Malfoy. What do you want to talk about?" she said looking directly at me, perching herself on the edge of the swimming pool sized bathtub. Almost knowing what would happen I moved forward and caught Hermione deftly in my arms as she tilted backwards into the tub, nearly hitting her head on the hard surface.  
  
"Find somewhere else to sit, Hermione. It's not safe to sit there." I grunted helping her stand up. She threw a look of utter contempt at me, trying to muster what was left of her dignity.  
  
"Where I sit is none of your business Malfoy. Why did you catch me anyway, its not like I would've hurt myself badly, and even then why should you care?" Hermione scoffed in return sitting right back down on the marble edge, though this time taking care not to sit too far back.  
  
"We have a truce going on, Hermione. You specifically told me not to be nasty to you, didn't you?" I replied rolling my eyes as I sat down next to her. Her mouth twitched and then broke into a small smile as she realized that she was overreacting to absolutely nothing.  
  
"That's right. The truce. . .alright then Malfoy I'm sorry about blowing up at you about that, I really should be saying thank you shouldn't I?" she said with a bit of amusement to her voice as her eyes twinkled at me.  
  
I was amazed that she could change her facial expressions so quickly, and make them so expressive. I was also mildly horrified at the fact that she could change her mood in the blink of an eye, I mean one minute she's giving me a death glare and the next moment she's smiling at me. Women are hopeless.  
  
Hermione was still looking expectantly at me to reply to her and I thanked my naturally emotionless face for not betraying my thoughts to her, though I couldn't bet that she couldn't already hear them in her own head.  
  
Thoughts. . .that reminded me of the whole reason why were sitting comfortably next to each other in the Prefect's Bathroom. I nodded to show that I agreed with the fact that she should be apologizing to me and her smile grew into a grin as she swatted me playfully on the arm.  
  
"Well too bad you aren't going to get an apology!" she said mischievously but her mood changed again as she saw the serious expression on my own face. She stopped her playfulness and settled down, moving a little closer to me for some unknown reason. I swallowed slowly, strangely enjoying the feeling of having her this close to me but knowing that she was expecting me to say something I began to speak.  
  
"Hermione, I'm not sure if you have realized this or not but lately we haven't been able to hear each other's thoughts." I paused looking at her questioningly, she nodded slowly at this statement, "Well using the information that I got from this book," I held up the "Wacky Ways of the Wizarding Mind" that I took out from my bag and flipped to the page about the Ability to Send Thoughts and pointed at the line that I had underlined. "That says all that you need to know."  
  
  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
'The power will eventually wear off by itself but that can take a matter of years. Unless the two affected should come to completely understand and appreciate each other in a shorter period of time. Then the bond connecting their minds will be broken and they will no longer possess the power to read each other's minds.'  
  
I looked up, astonished at Malfoy who grinned at me. I wondered why on earth I hadn't seen that extremely important point when I had read it! I found a smile struggling to make it's way to my mouth and when it did, I saw that it was just as big as the grin on Malfoy's pale face.  
  
"So that means that - " I started saying before Malfoy finished triumphantly for me, "- we can't hear each other's thoughts anymore!"  
  
"Yes!" I exclaimed, standing and jumping up and down excitedly. Malfoy watched me with an unreadable expression on his features and as the shock of the discovery wore off, I sharply remembered what had happened when we were last in this bathroom together.  
  
I sat back down defeatedly and looked gently at Malfoy who now wore an expression of regret on his face. He looked up at that moment and met my gaze holding our eyes together and he spoke suddenly, with a hoarse croak to his voice.  
  
"I'm sorry." I was completely taken aback by these two words and it took me a moment to register them in my brain. When they made sense I looked at Malfoy in surprise, "- I'm sorry for everything that I've ever done to hurt you."  
  
My mouth opened, though no words came out and I just sat looking at Malfoy with a stupefied expression on my face. My eyes swept over his face and for once in my life I took the time to appreciate it. The high cheekbones, the stormy gray eyes that had so much passion in them, the soft lips and his straight nose. . . yes, I finally realized that this boy was extremely good looking.  
  
My mind quickly flew back to last night when I had seen the rest of his body, well the upper half of it anyway and I remembered how handsome I had thought he had looked with the toned muscles. Then I realized that he was apologizing to me instead of me apologizing to him about yesterday!  
  
"Listen Malfoy, I accept your apology. . .but can I ask you one question? Why?" I said incredulously, trying to force the image of Malfoy's upper body out of my mind.  
  
"I don't know. I was just thinking about what happened last night. You were pretty angry when you left me right?" he said in a low voice with a grimace on his face.  
  
"Well you said that the reason that you were being nicer to me was because you didn't want 'powerful and smart' enemies on your tail when you left school right?" I shot back, afraid that if I said anything else something that I didn't want to happen would happen.  
  
"That was part of the reason. . .there was more except you wouldn't let me tell you. You just told me to get out of the way." He said sullenly and the acuteness of the regret of yesterday came back and against my will I could feel myself feeling sorry for Malfoy.  
  
All in all, I didn't know what to think when it came to Malfoy. I know that we had that thought bond connection, and that kind of forced us together, but apart from that we had our own duties as Prefects and our own friends and interests, but it just seemed that whenever we didn't intend it, we would bump into each other.  
  
I know that it may all just be a coincidence but I can't help feeling like we do have something going on between us, or at least our initial feelings towards each other have changed and I really don't know what to make of it. I also know for a fact that Malfoy is definitely not the same person as I knew before, something has changed and it looks like its for the better.  
  
Or maybe he just got sick of teasing Harry, Ron and me. Either way, I don't really plan on having 'possible attraction' to him like the 'Wacky Ways of the Wizarding Mind' says, and I guess that the only way to do that is to avoid contact with him. . .to act the way that I used to around him.  
  
But there's a nagging voice in my head that says that maybe, just maybe he's already attracted to me. . .  
  
  
  
Draco's POV  
  
I looked curiously at Hermione, she was deep in thought, her brow was furrowed and she wasn't making any indication that she had heard me. Maybe she just didn't want to hear what I wanted to say, but honestly I really didn't understand why I was still making an effort to be nice to her. I mean there was always the truce and all but other than that there really wasn't a reason.  
  
The thought connection was broken; I couldn't have anymore fun listening on her thoughts and it just looked like everything was going to be going back to normal. I smiled wistfully at that, things were never going to go back to normal for me. I could never feel the feeling of power whenever I taunted her and I could never look at her in the same demeaning way again and I just couldn't ever be the same again.  
  
God, the feeling that I got every time that she got closer to me was so intense, it was as though I was on fire, and the flame was burning fiercely inside me. I didn't know how to explain it, it didn't make sense. How could one's feelings change so quickly? From hatred to. . . dare I say love? Well perhaps my feelings haven't progressed to that stage but I know that I did feel passion towards her, a deep passion that fired up inside me every time that I saw her.  
  
I know that I didn't want to admit it to myself, firstly there was the fact that she was Muggle-born and the second thing was that we were infamous for our loathing of each other. It would never work out, I mean who knows how she feels towards me? I know that she cant exactly hate me anymore because she wouldn't be sitting here with me at the moment but it's not like we're snogging each other either.  
  
I sighed, and Hermione looked up quickly at me, startled but not knowing my inner turmoil. She smiled a tight little smile before getting off the stone edge of the bathtub and starting to search around the bathroom for something. She still had not replied to my statement.  
  
"What are you looking for Hermione?" I asked as my curiousity got the better of me and her head snapped sharply back in my direction.  
  
"Oh, nothing much it's just that I lost something yesterday night and I was thinking that perhaps it might've been in here." She flushed as she said this but continued to look me straight in the eye. Her warm eyes sought mine and held them in an intent gaze and my heartbeat quickened subconsciously.  
  
I felt something in my stomach clench and I quickly got up from my seat walking towards where Hermione was squatting close to the white marble floor.  
  
"Need some help?" I said quietly as I stooped down and joined her on the cool ground.  
  
"No thanks. I think I'm almost done looking for it." She scanned the floor with those beautiful eyes again and when she was finished she turned to me with a meek expression on her face, as though she had done something wrong.  
  
"Is there anything wrong, Hermione?" I asked uncertainly.  
  
"No, of course not Malfoy." She said dully, "I think that I have to meet Harry and Ron soon so I better get going." She flashed me another small smile and she began to walk towards the locked door on the other side of the room. I followed her and when we walked back out into the silent and deserted corridor outside the Prefect's Bathroom we stood awkwardly facing each other, not knowing what to say.  
  
"Well, Malfoy I guess I'll see you around then." Hermione said finally, in a business-like tone.  
  
"Yeah, I'll see you around. . ." I replied with a soft grin and as she turned on her heel and began to stride off in the other direction I called out cheerfully after her, "Oh and just call me Draco."  
  
  
  
Hey all! I got this chapter up faster than I expected, I started writing it straight after I posted the last chapter =) hope you guys like it, its been exploring both Hermione and Draco's feelings a whole lot more and I don't know if it's confusing or not. . . =S anyway, don't expect every single chapter to be posted this quickly alright? School's very busy over here!  
  
Anyhow, cheers and please review!  
  
psychohart 


	11. The Dreaming

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 11 - The Dreaming  
  
Disclaimer: Who started this disclaimer stuff anyway?! Oh well whoever it is, I'm gonna get you some day!! Hehe, well I don't own any of the characters, but I own the plot. All clear? Alright, on with the story! =)  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"I'm sorry." His voiced echoed in my mind and I could honestly say that I was having immense trouble getting that one little phrase out of my memory. God, it's already been two days and I'm still reliving that moment every once in awhile when I think of going to the library or whenever I see the Slytherin table in the Great Hall.  
  
The amazing thing was though, that I hadn't seen hide or hair of him since that fateful day in the Prefect's Bathroom and that was starting to scare me since I had grown accustomed to seeing him pop up in unexpected places. But other than that 'little' distraction I was doing all right and I was quite pleased to see that my dark nightmares had finally disappeared and that I was getting very peaceful nights of sleep.  
  
I smiled faintly as I heard Malfoy, no Draco's unusually bright voice yelling after me as I began to stride away from him to call him by his first name in my mind. Well, this was certainly an improvement from our usually insults at each other, I thought amusedly to myself.  
  
Suddenly I was wrenched rather rudely out of my dreamy state by Ron was happened to be seated next to me in History of Magic, he shook my arm roughly in an attempt to get my attention. I blearily looked at him and then he smiled and motioned at where Harry was sitting next to Parvati. My eyes widened again and my lips curled into a huge grin.  
  
It seemed that for the few brief moments that Professor Binns had left the room to retrieve one of his reference books Parvati had proceeded to plant wet kisses all over Harry's face and the pink lipstick stains were highly visible to anyone who wished to have a good look at Harry. He turned to face us and I couldn't suppress a hearty laugh at the sight of his face.  
  
I continued to break out in little fits of laughter and I really couldn't control this giddiness. I didn't even know why I was giddy in the first place, it just wasn't like me. Ron was looking strangely at me as was Harry and I didn't even notice that Professor Binns had returned to classroom until -  
  
"Miss Grain! Please tell me what is so hilarious that you must disrupt my class with your laughter?" He asked angrily as he narrowed his eyes at me. When I failed to reply to him as I couldn't really say that I was laughing at Harry, he snapped quickly, "That's detention for you this lunchtime Miss Grant."  
  
Then he looked around the classroom as if to enforce his point but when his eyes landed on Harry, amusement was evident in his expression.  
  
"- And detention for you as well Mr. Potter. Please control yourself in my lesson." He said blandly before starting to read aloud from one of his books. I caught Harry's eye and shrugged my shoulders whilst rolling my eyes, sending him a commiserating look.  
  
I settled down and as much as I tried to concentrate on what Binns was saying, I couldn't resist tuning out to my much more interesting thoughts about - No I wasn't going to think about him again, I firmly told myself. I struggled to concentrate again but the shrill ringing of the bell sounding for lunchtime broke my concentration.  
  
I got up from my table and gathered all my books, slipping them into my bag before telling Ron to wait for us outside the room. I walked over to where Harry was and I smiled at Parvati who returned my smile deviously.  
  
"So sorry Harry. . ." she whispered before kissing him again soundly on the lips, "Don't worry, I'll be outside waiting."  
  
She left the room and Harry and I cautiously made our way to the front of the room where Professor Binns sat stiffly in his chair behind his large desk.  
  
"Professor - " I began to say but he cut me off gruffly.  
  
"Miss Grant, did Mr. Potter provoke you into laughing?" he asked giving Harry a sidelong look that made him squirm uncomfortably.  
  
"Erm. . .well. . .yes he did. . .sort of. . ." I mumbled biting my lips after finishing.  
  
"Indeed? Well in that case both of you are to stay in this classroom for the whole of lunchtime, I will be sending Professor McGonagall up to speak to you both about your outrageous behaviour in my class in a moment. I hope that it will not happen again." He said in a wheezy voice.  
  
Harry and I looked at each other and went to sit down at a desk near the back of the room, putting down our bags defeatedly. Professor Binns left the room silently and as soon as he did Harry turned to me and blushed immediately.  
  
"I'm sorry Hermione. I didn't know that you would laugh so much. . . I mean I couldn't exactly stop her from doing it, you know it's kind of hard to resist when your girlfriend is kissing you all over your face and . . . " he trailed off at the mock pained expression on my face, "Sorry again Mione."  
  
"Don't worry about it, Harry. It's a perfectly normal thing to do when you're going out with someone and I really couldn't control myself either. It just looked so hilarious! Your face was completely covered with lipstick marks and. . ." This time it was my turn to trail off as Professor McGonagall strode briskly into the classroom.  
  
"I have received the knowledge that both of you have been disrupting Professor Binns' class. Would you like to explain your childish behaviour?" she said sharply in a strict voice.  
  
"Professor, all that happened was that Hermione just lost control after I told her a joke of mine. She couldn't stop laughing and when Professor Binns came back into the classroom he found her laughing very loudly. That's all." Said Harry airily, struggling to maintain an innocent face.  
  
"Very well, that is a reasonable explanation. But I am not finished yet, Mr. Potter please explain the lipstick marks covering your face?" she said in a level voice, looking calmly at Harry. He squirmed again and fidgeted with his robes, slowly turning a very interesting shade of pink.  
  
"Parvati - "  
  
"Miss Patil is involved as well is she?" interrupted Professor McGonagall raising her eyebrows at Harry.  
  
"Er. . ."  
  
"Alright. I quite understand what is going on now. Though I do not tolerate this type of behaviour, both of you are allowed to go now without punishment. But never let this happen again because you will not be let off lightly if there is a next time." With another one of her stern looks, she exited the room with a grand sweep of her robes.  
  
I let out the breath that I had been holding and I turned to beam at Harry. He rolled his eyes this time and went to pick up his bag and mine from the desk that we were sitting at before. We left the classroom together and looking up and down the corridor there was no trace of Ron or Parvati.  
  
"He better not be messing around with my girlfriend." Mumbled Harry absently as he saw the disappearance of his dearly beloved.  
  
"I don't think so, Harry. Parvati's very in love with you, you know that!" I replied and he looked at me disbelievingly. I began to walk towards the end of the hallway and Harry followed, taking long strides.  
  
"You really think so, Mione?" he asked softly, drawing level with me so that we were walking next to each other.  
  
"It's obvious, Harry. You don't have to be a genius to figure that out." I replied in a matter-of-fact tone.  
  
"Hmm." Harry's eyes became slightly glazed and a dreamy expression came over his face and I raised my eyebrows at this and gave him a pinch on his forearm, "Ouch! What was that for, Mione?!"  
  
"To make sure that your daydreams don't get too dirty." I shot back, dodging the playful punch that was coming my way. Then I looked up at Harry and realized that he was looking seriously back at me. Immediately, I got the feeling of déjà vu again, only this time it was with Harry, not Draco. . .  
  
"Hermione, what do you think about Ron?" he asked suddenly, fixing me with a soft gaze.  
  
"What?!" I was totally taken aback by that and I didn't know what to say, but I replied slowly, "Well. . .he's a very good friend of ours isn't he? One of the closest friends that I have, apart from you, Lavender and Parvati. . ."  
  
"Yes, I know that. But I mean, do you think of him in any other way. . .apart from just friends?" Harry said in a very somber tone of voice.  
  
"Harry! Give it a break will you?! I don't think of Ron in any other way other than the normal way!" I exclaimed furiously. How thick could he get?!  
  
"What normal way?"  
  
"Ugh!"  
  
I turned back in the opposite direction to where we were going and began to stomp angrily away from my incredibly pigheaded best friend who was getting on my nerves in a very bad way.  
  
After a few minutes of stomping I looked back to see if Harry was still following me and to my relief he had gotten the message [how he understood my actions, I will never know] and decided to leave me alone with my rage.  
  
I looked around where I had gotten myself to and to my surprise it was somewhere in the school that I hadn't been to and that was definitely a first. It was dark and only a few small white candles hung on the wall that seemed to stretch infinitely on, it gave out a sense of foreboding and I didn't like it at all.  
  
Where on earth was I?! I just hoped that I hadn't gotten myself lost, otherwise I would never get to Potions on time and I knew how hard Snape would be on me if he found out that I was just wandering aimlessly around the school instead of boiling something foul in a big cauldron in that ugly dank dungeon of his.  
  
I began to panic and I wheeled around to try and get my directions straight. 'Gryffindor Tower should be that way so maybe if I tried to walk down that corridor I should end up where I would be able to find my way to Potions. . .'  
  
Suddenly I rammed into something hard and I cursed as I realized it was a wall that I hadn't seen due to the twilight like darkness in this hallway. Damn, I had forgotten to light my wand, smart one Hermione, I thought to myself.  
  
"Lumos." I whispered before creeping towards to the corridor that marked my way back to sanity but before I could get halfway a familiar, but icy voice hissed behind me.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
Draco's POV [the secret common room]  
  
I reclined comfortably back into my chair and gently stroked the thing that lay in the centre of my palm, yes it was the angel necklace. I really couldn't take my eyes off it, it strangely reminded me of Hermione in the way that it was flawlessly made, without a scratch or oddity to it.  
  
It seemed that these days my thoughts were filled with her, the girl that made me feel so intense whenever I was near her. . .but now I had figured that this was only mere infatuation. Sure, I was definitely attracted to her [who wouldn't be? She was beautiful, amazingly smart and witty.]  
  
But she was a Mudblood, I kept repeating that to myself in an effort to get back my old feelings for her, the loathing of her cleverness and of her goody-two-shoes attitude.  
  
Still it didn't do anything to deter the raging feelings that I had for her and all I could do was try and keep them under control so that it didn't become too apparent. Who knows, maybe I could get through this whole 'crush' thing without anyone noticing. Chances were slim, but I could try couldn't I?  
  
I thought back to what I had seen in that nightmare that I had when I first got this chain, the one that told me that Voldemort was after Hermione. But then again, it was probably just a dream, nothing more. I mean I had never been known to be a Seer or anything remotely like that, it couldn't possibly be real; how would the Dark Lord even know her?  
  
The thoughts went round and round in my head, each topic chasing another until it finally ended up on the topic that I hated most, the prospect of being a Death Eater. It was looming ever closer, and it was becoming inevitable, Father definitely wasn't going to back me up on my new decision to not become part of Voldemort's innermost circle.  
  
As far as I was concerned in the eyes of my Father, I was to become a Death Eater or die, I mean basically I was only existing because I was 'born to serve the Dark Lord' or so Father says. He had told me so when he had last sent me an owl, it clearly stated that on my 18th birthday, I was to attend the induction ceremony and receive the Dark Mark.  
  
Now, I was only 17 but a year would pass me by in no time and I didn't want to turn to the Dark side in order to get power. No matter what people say, I don't take after my Father completely, don't forget my mother's genes. She was definitely the gentlest yet intimidating woman that I knew, she could be incredibly warm and caring when it came to those that she loved but also very influencing when she exerted her charm on the people that she needed to overpower.  
  
Overall, I believe that my parents made a formidable pair, highly esteemed by all of those who knew them, except for perhaps the Weasleys, those redheads just didn't seem to accept the fact that we were above them on the social ladder. I wanted to follow in my parents' footsteps, to become admired by those who were below me and to become a powerful wizard, I mean why else would I be working this hard to achieve the high marks that I get?  
  
As I looked down at the precious gem set in the centre of the silver angel, I remembered the words that Hermione had said to me:  
  
'You don't have to be like your father and be on the dark side you know. You can be powerful, wealthy and respected as a normal wizard.'  
  
Those words played and replayed themselves in my head and I honestly believed in that philosophy, to not go to the Dark side. Father wouldn't be pleased at all though, I had let him down. . .not just that, I had dishonoured him by defying his wishes and refused to be in his Master's service.  
  
I sighed, the exhaustion of these thoughts settling in on my eyes and me suddenly drooped and I was on my way to a fitful sleep.  
Hey everyone,  
  
I'm so sorry for not making this chapter very interesting, but you have to understand that in order for the story to be more. . .hmmm complex, then you need this type of detail. . .right?  
  
Well those who don't like that, better stop reading right now! But I promise that in a chapter or two there will be something special happening! I won't break the promise alright? I swear!!!!!!!!  
  
Anyhow, thank you to all the reviewers who have been sending in very positive stuff, it really motivates me, so keep it coming! [hmph, I only got 2 reviews for the last chapter. . . =(] Special thanks to FoxyChic4u who has been continuously leaving comments =P I love you for it! =)  
  
Anyway, happy [after] Valentines Day to everyone!  
  
Enjoy and review!  
  
psychohart 


	12. Meetings

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 12 - Meetings  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing that J.K Rowling does ok?  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
I whirled around in shock and the sight that met me was extremely horrible. Snape, with his sallow skin and eyes narrowed to slits with suspicion and hatred was giving me a death glare, and as he advanced towards me I saw how his greasy, oily hair clung to his disgusting skin and I felt immediately repulsed.  
  
"I said, Miss Granger, what are you doing here?" he whispered with an edge to his voice.  
  
"Professor, I was just -"  
  
"Do you know where you are right now?" he interrupted malevolently.  
  
"No, Professor. I was just reading a book and not watching where I was going and when I looked up I had ended up here, in this corridor. I sincerely don't know where I am at the moment. . ." I said truthfully, daring to meet his eye, but after a few moments I looked away again, the intensity of his glare was ferocious.  
  
"Miss Granger, you are standing outside the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. Did you know that?" he hissed sharply, but as he heard my gasp he continued to sneer, "Dear lord, you call yourself a Prefect? The cleverest witch in the year? You don't even know your own way around Hogwarts!"  
  
"But I've never been here, Sn-Professor. . ." I mumbled submissively.  
  
"Silence! Don't you dare lie to me, Miss Granger! You were trying to break in, weren't you? Hoping to lure some thickheaded Slytherin to give you the password! I hardly think that it is a privilege of a Prefect to lie to a teacher as well as trying to access the common rooms of other houses." He paused, seeing the stoned expression on my face but he continued his tirade, "That is worthy of a loss of 50 points from Gryffindor."  
  
"But -" The loud ringing of the bell signaled the start of class and Snape began to walk off grouchily. Suddenly he turned and gave me a piercing look.  
  
"Miss Granger, do you know the way to Potions from here?"  
  
"Err. . .no, Professor." I stammered, running to catch up with him. He rolled his eyes and continued to walk quickly down the hallway. Soon, we had emerged onto one of the main corridors of the school, near the Charms classroom. Snape quickened his pace and I hurried to keep up with him and as he led me through the winding corridors I began to realize how strange it looked, to be trailing behind Snape, as many people turned their heads to get a good look at us.  
  
When we finally reached the Potions classroom I heard some sniggers from the Slytherin side of the room and I deftly ignored them and I slid into a seat next to Ron who immediately turned to face me, giving me a questioning look.  
  
"Mione, what happened?! Harry said that he lost you after detention with Binns. . .how did you end up with Snape?!" he asked incredulously.  
  
"Don't ask. I got lost after detention right? So I went off wandering by myself, and guess what, Snape happened to find me just outside the Slytherin Common Room! Then, somehow he was convinced that I was trying to break in, so he took 50 points off Gryffindor!" I said in a low voice, sending an angry glance at Snape's back.  
  
"Ohh, poor Mione! Ha, you lost all the points that you've earned for us this whole term!" Ron began to chortle good-naturedly as he figured that out and with a shock I realized what Harry had meant when he had infuriated me by being stubborn.  
  
That Ron liked me. Shit! I had previously sworn to myself that I would never fall for any of my male friends, I just didn't want to ruin the friendship that I had with them, like Neville, Harry and. . . Ron. I mean, I had only just been able to save my friendship with Harry after I went out with him for ONE week!  
  
Oh god, this was definitely an awkward situation, knowing that one of my best friends liked me. . .this wasn't on my agenda. I had a hard enough job trying to stay cold towards the suddenly nice Draco without having to try and keep normal around Ron. . .ugh!  
  
I just shook my head slightly at Ron, giving him a disapproving look before glancing around the dungeon myself. Suddenly I realized that this was the lesson that I had been subconsciously waiting for, the lesson where I would see him again, 2 days after he had said sorry to me. . .  
  
He wasn't there. Malfoy was missing Potions! I nearly laughed out loud at that thought but this time I stifled my laughter quietly, to avoid anymore run-ins with my teachers.  
  
Why would Draco be missing his favourite lesson with his most favourite [slimy] teacher though?! There had to be a good reason to explain this, I mean knowing Draco meant knowing somebody else who was just as into school as I was, even though I knew that I was definitely smarter. . .but it just wasn't like him to miss this lesson.  
  
As I sat there pondering over what could possibly be keeping Draco away from classes, a meek little girl with piggy tails shuffled into our dungeon, nervously pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She walked straight up to Snape himself and said in a tiny voice.  
  
"I have a message for Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy."  
  
"Alright. Well, go on!" said Snape in a dangerously calm voice, beckoning for the poor girl to continue.  
  
"There's a. . .a. . .Pr-prefect's m-me-meeting tonight." She stuttered before rushing out of the dungeon in a flash of piggy-tailed hair. Snape mocked her small voice, which sent the Slytherins into gales of laughter but after that he turned back to the board and began to write notes.  
  
There's going to be a Prefect's meeting tonight? Oh, that was good, Draco seriously wouldn't miss a meeting for the world, that would mean that I would definitely be able to see him. . .maybe I should ask to talk to him privately about what happened last time we. . .hmm. . .but again, I was pulled out of my thoughts by the hard pounding of Ron's pestle as he ground up something that wasn't recognizable anymore.  
  
"Cmon Mione, help me with the potion!" he said, motioning towards the bowl of beetle's eyes that he had put in front of me, "You seem a little dazed, is anything wrong?" he asked with a touch of concern in his voice.  
  
"No, no! I'm fine! Seriously. . .anyway, what are we making?" I asked him, he looked at me with raised eyebrows but then he said in a triumphant kind of voice,  
  
"We're making Mendito Serum."  
  
Oh god. This was definitely not my day.  
Draco's POV  
  
I woke with a start and I hurriedly ran my hand over my forearm, checking to see whether or not the Dark Mark had really been administered onto me. When I saw nothing I breathed a sigh of relief and I wiped my brow, which had become very sweaty.  
  
My breathing was still a little bit ragged, but as soon as I began to relax it became normal again, but I was still a little wary from my nightmare though, it had shown me becoming a Death Eater and killing Muggles. . . I shivered at the memory and tried to push it out of my mind.  
  
I turned over in the large, comfy armchair and when I caught sight of the numbers on my watch. 7:02pm. I cursed loudly and jumped out of the armchair quickly, realizing that I had spent the whole afternoon sleeping and dreaming instead of going to Potions and Muggle Studies! Plus, I had missed half of dinner. Oh great.  
  
I decided that I would go back to the Slytherin Common Room, and pretend that I had fallen asleep in my room, out of exhaustion or something, if Snape or Pansy should wish to ask me about my whereabouts. I trudged silently back to the dark corridor, which led the way to Slytherin's dungeon-like common room, and as I muttered the password 'Serpent' I immediately made a beeline for my room.  
  
Sure enough, around half an hour later I heard the door open and the strong scent of Pansy's perfume waft through the air as she entered the room quietly. She looked around, seeming to check for other presences in the room apart from mine and when she found none, she ran pudgily to my bed.  
  
"Draco! Where have you been all afternoon?! I've missed you soo much, class just isn't the same without you. . ." she gushed, batting her eyelashes at me.  
  
"Huh. . .? Oh, hi Pansy. Sorry, I think I dozed off a little what lesson is it now?" I asked, pretending to be sleepy.  
  
"Oh! It's after dinner already! Poor baby, you haven't had anything to eat all day! Want me to get you something to eat?" she asked hopefully, smiling that sickening smile of hers.  
  
"No! I mean, no thanks Pansy. I'm not hungry. So, I missed the whole afternoon?! Gosh, that's really amazing. . ." I said getting up from the bed and standing beside the heavily set girl.  
  
"Oh, oh Draco! I almost forgot to tell you that there's a Prefect's meeting tonight!" she beamed as she said this and she quickly clung onto my arm like a predator, "You better go now, I don't want you to miss it."  
  
"Yeah, thanks a lot Pansy. I'm going to go now." I stiffly made my way out of my room with Pansy hanging off my arm like a monkey now and as I stepped out of the common room, I realized that I would have to see Hermione again. Damn.  
  
I quickly made my way to the Transfiguration classroom, which Professor McGonagall had 'generously' lent to the Prefects and as I neared the room I could hear the meeting already starting. I walked a little bit faster and I stood hovering just outside the door, trying to listen in on what they were saying.  
  
"So, when's the Yule Ball going to be, Cho?" asked Padma Patil, the Ravenclaw Prefect.  
  
"Well, Terry and me haven't exactly set a date yet, but it's going to be soon, in a few months time." Replied Cho Chang, the Head Girl.  
  
Phew, at least they weren't talking about me, I was just about to stride into the room with a business-like air around me when Hermione spoke up.  
  
"Where's Draco?" she asked quietly, "Because he wasn't in Potions either."  
  
"He wasn't in Potions?" repeated Cho carefully, "Does it matter? I mean, for all we know he might've gotten sick or something, otherwise he might've been just bludging."  
  
"Excuse me, ladies. I wasn't sick or 'bludging', I just fell asleep from the stress that was piling up on me." I said suavely, entering the room at that exact moment, giving both Hermione and Cho the surprise of their lives.  
  
"Draco! Were you eavesdropping?" asked Cho with a mischievous glint in her eye.  
  
"So what if I was? It concerned me." I shot back arrogantly, seating myself next to Terry Boot, the Head Boy for this year, "So, Terry how has it been trying to have a meeting with these hopeless girls?"  
  
"It's impossible to put in your opinion, isn't that right Ernie?" replied Terry in a smooth voice, looking pointedly at Padma, Cho and Hermione who fidgeted a little.  
  
"Anyway! What I want to say is that we should really ask Dumbledore whether we can have a set place for us to meet, like not just a classroom because Peeves or people keep on walking in on us, some place like an old common room that no one knows about." Said Cho, quickly changing the topic before Ernie Macmillan could reply. She looked around at each of us and though I knew a place that fit her description so well I wasn't going to tell her. But then -  
  
"You know what, Cho? I think I know somewhere that's perfect for us to meet." Said Hermione excitedly, "Cmon, I'll take you guys there now."  
  
"Are you sure that no one else knows about it?" asked Padma slowly as she got up from her spot on the floor.  
  
"Dead sure, I mean I only found it by chance." She replied brightly leading the way down the corridor of the Transfiguration classroom.  
  
Soon, we had arrived at a place that was a bit too familiar for my liking, it seemed as though I had only been here a little while ago. . . wait a minute! This was the same corridor that the old common room was on. . . that could only mean that -  
  
"Wait Hermione. There's no common rooms on this corridor!" I said quickly, hoping to confuse her.  
  
"No, you've never been to this one. It's secret, it's concealed in a wall!" she answered, going to one of the walls and testing each part of the wall tentatively, trying to find the secret entrance.  
  
"Stop! How do you even know if it's here or not? Are you going to make us wait here all night while you slowly check every square meter of this wall?!" I retorted angrily, looking at the rest of the Prefects for support.  
  
"You know, Hermione. He's kind of right, we don't actually have the time to wait around. . . I don't know about you guys, but I have a hell of a lot of homework to do tonight." Said Ernie and I gave him a small smile for that.  
  
"Alright then folks, let's just say that this meeting is adjourned alright?" said Terry importantly, "See you guys in 2 weeks!"  
  
I breathed another sigh of relief and as everyone began to go in the direction of their respective common rooms, I realized that I was standing alone with Hermione. I suddenly felt extremely awkward, I hadn't talked to her since. . .hell I havent even seen her since that day.  
  
"Draco?" Hermione said suddenly, making me look at her, startled.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Did you mean it?" she said softly, so quietly that I had to strain to hear her.  
  
"Mean what?"  
  
"You know what!" she cried exasperatedly.  
  
"That I was sorry?" at this she nodded, her cheeks turning a little pinker, "Of course I did. . . I don't usually say things I don't mean."  
  
Immediately I knew that I had said the wrong thing because her expression went a little strange and for a split second she flinched away but then she turned back again to face me puzzedly. "So you meant it when you called me a Mudblood?"  
  
"Well, I was only in 2nd year -"  
  
"You really hated me didn't you?"  
  
"I . . .err. . ."  
  
"Admit it."  
  
"Erm. . ."  
  
"You disgust me."  
  
With that she strode off in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower, her retreating back somehow making me quite angry. I quickly ran after her, drawing level with her only after a few moments.  
  
"Hermione, I didn't mean it that way. Listen I was really immature back then ok? I had different ideas about everything. I've grown up!" I gripped her shoulders tightly, forcing her to look at me. When she did, I realized that I had the advantage over her, so I continued to talk, "I don't hate you anymore. I think you're a really great person. Can we start over? Can we just forget whatever horrible things that we've done to each other?"  
  
"I can't just forget the past, Draco. And you can't take back the words that you said." She stated plainly trying to wriggle out of my grip.  
  
"I said sorry. Doesn't that mean something to you?" I asked gently, looking her softly in the eye, "Do you want me to say it again?"  
  
"Why are you doing this to me?" she whispered, her eyes becoming watery. She gazed up at me for a little while and at that moment I realized that we were standing very close to each other, so close that our noses were nearly touching. Without knowing what made me do it, I put my hands on her back hesitantly and pulled her closer to me.  
  
"Doing what?" I asked, my voice a little husky.  
  
"This." She breathed, shakily placing a slender finger on my cool cheek. She let her finger trace its way down my cheek, down the sensitive area of my neck, finally finishing near my collarbone. I was completely absorbed by the feeling of her finger on my skin and it literally felt like everywhere she touched was on fire.  
  
Suddenly, she jerked her finger away and struggled to get out of the grip that I had on her soft body. I let go of her limply and blindly I saw her running as fast as she could away from where I was standing desolately alone.  
  
Jesus Christ, what had just happened?!  
  
Hey guys,  
  
See! I told you something special would happen, but this isn't special enough yet =P Wait till the next chapter, or the next one ok? That'll be pretty good. . . =) Anyway, keep on reading and keep on supporting me ok?  
  
Thank you all very very much!  
  
[oh and don't forget to review]  
  
love,  
  
psychohart 


	13. Sad Realizations

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 13 - Sad Realizations  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the lovely[?] plot =P  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
I shivered, sitting up abruptly in my warm bed, feeling utterly cold even when my toasty sheets were surrounding me. The memories of what had happened in the corridor were just too sharp to forget. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think; the only thing I could do was remember.  
  
The feeling of his pale, soft, beautiful skin under my finger was still haunting me and I didn't even know what had compelled me to do it in the first place, and then I acutely remembered that he was the one who had pulled me closer to him, making our bodies ever so slightly brush against each other..  
  
I shook my head furiously, trying to clear out the feeling of his strong arms clutching me gently, the way he breathed those powerful words into my ear, the way that he looked me in the eye like an equal..  
  
When had I last felt like this? When I had I last remembered every little detail of time that was spent with a person? When had I had these raging emotions that I couldn't control?  
  
Emerald eyes came to light in my mind and chuckled softly to myself, realizing with a start that the last person that had made me really feel special and get that warm fuzzy feeling was Harry himself. But compared to the feelings that I had at the moment, I wasn't too sure if they were as intense. And trust me that was quite worrying.  
  
I collapsed back onto the comfy blankets and turned over distractedly in the bed, trying to figure out my thoughts. But suddenly, without warning my mind just shut down and exhaustion overtook me and let me drift into a dreamless blissful sleep.  
Draco's POV  
  
I had made up my mind. I was going to talk to that stubborn girl sometime soon, in private without those apes following her everywhere. Honestly I couldn't remember a time where I was more annoyed at Potty and the Weasel, they just couldn't let Hermione out of their sight.  
  
I had really done a lot of thinking last night, even my nightmares didn't seem to bad. I had actually thought about her so much that half my homework was still left undone and I had to bribe Blaise to do it for me this morning, but the main point was that she was occupying my thoughts like hell.  
  
It just seemed so wrong though, just such a hopeless fantasy that someone that had loathed me for as long as I could remember, would have such a sudden change and like me too. I mean, of course my feelings for her had obviously changed, but..it was just too much to hope that she would feel the same way too.  
  
Geez, what has happened to my huge ego?! And my endless amounts of confidence in myself?! Ha, gone down the drain with a stupid Muggle girl. Ugh! The feeling of her in my arms was too hard to forget, it just felt so right at the time, she fit perfectly into my frame and the way that she had let her fingers trace their way down my neck was definitely arousing..  
  
Wait a minute. Here I am sitting in History of Magic class with that old geezer of a teacher listening to him droning on and on about one goblin or another and my thoughts are focused on what happened yesterday. What on earth was wrong with me?! I had actually admitted to myself that I wanted her..dear lord! And I could still feel her finger on my skin, Draco! Get a grip on yourself!  
  
I took a deep breath and resolved that I would try as hard as I could to stop liking her. Or at the very least, stop thinking about her 24/7. Suddenly someone caught my eye and I realized that Dumbledore was standing at the doorway to the classroom with a beautiful young girl next to him. Suddenly all thoughts of Hermione were washed from my brain.  
  
"Professor Binns, I hope you don't mind me interrupting your lesson." Said Dumbledore in that deep voice of his. Mind you, it annoyed me to no end but today I was ignoring it, that girl standing next to him was very attractive. There was just something about her that I couldn't put my finger on.  
  
"Of course not, Headmaster. Now, what is it that brings you here?" replied Binns in a stuffy voice.  
  
"Well, I am proud to introduce to the Slytherins their newest house member, Annika Debauche. She has just transferred here from Dourliwood, another school for witches and wizards in London itself. Of course I am sure that you will all do your best to let Annika feel right at home." Here he turned and beamed at Annika who smiled slightly back at him, she then stepped into the classroom gracefully, every move that she made was so elegant and as she settled herself into the spare seat next to Pansy, sitting so poised that Pansy looked like a clumsy elephant next to her.  
  
As she bent down to put her bag on the ground she caught me looking at her and she smiled graciously at me before taking out the books that were needed for this lesson. God, her eyes were so brilliant, those golden brown eyes that seemed to radiate sincerity and comfort, you could just lose yourself in the depths of those exquisite perfectly shaped ovals.  
  
I let myself sneak another glance in her direction and studied the rest of her face, that porcelain skin that was flawless and shiny light brown hair that cascaded down her back and her luscious lips that were curved in an almost perpetual smile. And, of course she was a Slytherin, so basically she had everything over Hermione, she was perfect.  
  
I couldn't tear my eyes away from her, she was so goddamn attractive and I was having difficulty concentrating on the lesson, her face was occupying my thoughts fully now and I smirked a little when I realized that Hermione was out of my mind for a temporary amount of time.  
  
Thank god I'm not thinking too much about that Mudblood anymore, I thought to myself with contempt, trying to bring back my old attitude. The bell suddenly sounded loudly and Hermione was now completely erased from my brain, all thoughts about other girls utterly dismissed at the sight of Annika smiling gently at me, looking expectant.  
  
"You must be Draco Malfoy." She said as I neared her, she was standing close to the exit with her eyes studying me carefully making me stop in my tracks. I was taken aback a little but recovered my composure quickly.  
  
"I sure am. So, what is a pretty girl like you doing in Hogwarts, Annika?" I asked nonchalantly leaning a little bit closer to her.  
  
"Oh, I wish I was pretty." She laughed lightly, her face turning a little more rosier.  
  
"Don't wish for what you already are." I replied with a grin, making her look away quickly a small smile gracing her features, a pink blush spreading on her cheeks.  
  
"Well, I've heard a lot about you, Draco. And about your family, you're all very highly thought of by society." She said quietly, looking at me shyly again.  
  
"Really? That's nice to know, always does good for my ego." Here I grinned again making Annika smile back, god that smile was really dazzling, it lit up her whole face, "Yeah, so anyway back to my original question, what are you doing here? Why did you change from.. Dourliwood was it? To this good for nothing school?"  
  
"Oh, well it's a long story I'm not sure you'll want to hear about it.." She said softly looking at me, "Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the rest of the year, I mean Hogwarts is such a prestigious school..and of course I'll be looking forward to making friends with more people like you."  
  
"And I look forward to making friends with you." I winked at her and took her arm, "Cmon, we'll miss out on Charms if we stay around here any longer!"  
  
Together we walked through the now deserted corridor and I was aware of her every move, her head turning to get a good look at the portraits hanging on the wall, or her amazement at seeing someone slip through a trick step and the way her slim hand had subconsciously made its way into my own hand.  
  
Gee, Annika sure was a welcome distraction from Hermione, I wasn't so sure that she could completely replace her but I was definitely captivated by this beauty standing next to me. But the problem was how could someone take away the feelings that I had had for Hermione so quickly? I mean only around half an hour ago had I felt that all I wanted was that quiet, intelligent, strangely beautiful girl, but now..  
  
"Draco?" said Annika mildly.  
  
"Yes?" I replied, willing myself to stop thinking about Hermione, for Annika's sake.  
  
"I've also heard a lot about Harry Potter, you know the one who defeated the Dark Lord. Are you friends with him?" she asked.  
  
"No, not exactly. Not with that brat I'm not." I growled, "What do you want with him?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much, it's just that he goes to Hogwarts as well and I was hoping to catch a glimpse of him sometime - "  
  
"Annika. You are pureblood aren't you?" I suddenly said, thinking that this was a fantastic opportunity to figure out whether I wanted to know more about her or not and perhaps have a relationship with her..  
  
"Yes, I am. Why do you ask?" she replied, puzzled.  
  
"Well if you are, then I advise you not to hang around with trash like Potter and his friends." I sneered, Hermione's face coming to light in my mind again. I angrily pushed the image out of my mind and instead concentrated on Annika.  
  
"Whatever you say, Draco." She replied, a distant look coming into her eyes.  
  
"Alright, the Charms classroom is right here." I said as it came into view, breaking the awkward silence that had come between us. Now Annika just nodded and went into the classroom sitting next to Pansy again.  
  
I sighed, wishing that I knew what was going on in those girls' heads.  
Hermione's POV  
  
"For the final time, Ron, I swear that I'm fine!" I exclaimed as he came over and worriedly asked me if I was all right.  
  
"Yeah well Lavender said that she heard you crying yesterday night." He mumbled.  
  
"Well, obviously Lavender has hearing problems." I snapped back furiously, gathering my Transfiguration things up and putting them neatly back into my bag as the bell sounded for lunch.  
  
"No, she would never lie to me, Mione." Replied Ron desperately, clutching my arm in an effort to hold me back from escaping from him at lunch.  
  
"And I would never lie to you, Ron!" I cried rolling my eyes as I saw Parvati and Harry walking happily, hand in hand out of the classroom in a daze, "Listen I have something really important to do this lunchtime, so I would appreciate it if you left me alone!"  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
"Oh, get lost!"  
  
I stomped huffily away from him and headed towards the Charms classroom to ask Professor Flitwick about the Mesmerizing Charm that he had mentioned in class last week. I was still miffed about how Ron could believe Lavender fully when it was so obvious that she was just trying to have a conversation with him by making up ridiculous rumours about me crying!  
  
I sighed and picked up my pace, nearing the classroom sooner than I had expected. I waited patiently just outside the door as the Slytherins poured out of the classroom and I suddenly realized that Draco must be in this class as well, because Pansy had just left with her group of twittering girls.  
  
So I waited now with anticipation at seeing him again, knowing that I felt something for him and -  
  
I gasped softly as I saw him leaving the room with a stunning looking girl that I had never seen before, but the problem was, they were holding hands. My stomach plummeted and the rage that gripped me was so intense that it was all I could do to stop myself from whipping out my wand and cursing him.  
  
Wasn't it just last night that he had pulled me close to him and told me that he wanted for us to start over again, to be friends and god knows what else..well he had never exactly said that he had felt something for me as well but it was just that something indescribable had passed between us when he had held me in his arms and I was so sure that he had felt that too..  
  
Or maybe it was just me. Maybe I had imagined all this, everything that had happened in the past month or two, when I had thought he had changed for the better was just my wishful thinking and overactive imagination. I sighed again, now tears were really welling up in my eyes and I tried to keep them in, I wasn't going to start crying now in the middle of the corridor.  
  
I don't need him, I told myself firmly, all the feelings that I had for him must go, because he doesn't want me and he'll always think of me as that Mudblood who he had hated since first year. Oh, why had I ever thought that he would really change for me? Why had I ever thought that we could maybe start over again, and that we could stop hating each other?  
  
The feelings that I had kept suppressed came rushing back to the surface again and anger overtook logic and I turned around to find myself standing face to face with a certain redheaded person.  
  
"Ron!" I exclaimed as I buried my face in his chest, hugging him tightly.  
  
"Whoa, that one with Malfoy was a pretty good catch even for him eh?" replied Ron, securely holding me to him, looking down on me with twinkling eyes, thankfully not asking me why I was suddenly hugging him.  
  
"Sure Ron, why don't you go after her and fight with Malfoy over her." I stated bluntly, feeling a bit of déjà vu coming on, remembering the time when Ron had fell for a certain half Veela's charms.  
  
"Nah, I got someone even better here.." He replied smiling at me, tightening his grip on me, "But if she asked me out I guess I wouldn't say no, she's pretty hot.."  
  
"Go away." I mumbled letting go of him and then studying him for a second, I realized that two could play at the game that Malfoy was playing. And anyway, Ron wasn't too bad at all as a person..his looks were definitely welcome and his personality very sunny..  
  
"Actually on second thoughts, Ron stay right here.."  
Hey guys,  
  
I just thought I would introduce another character into the story to spice up things a bit and add some interest, I'm sorry to people about the long wait, because I had writer's block..but I promise that something special will happen soon coz we all know that Hermione still likes Draco right? =)  
  
Oh yeah, and just to clear up things - what Hermione means in the last few sentences of this chapter was that Malfoy was just toying around with her and she wants revenge.  
  
Thanks to you all and I'm sorry if I'm confusing you guys! ^.^  
  
[please please please review, I'm getting discouraged by the lack of them! =(]  
  
love,  
  
psychohart 


	14. Lonely

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 14 - Lonely  
  
Disclaimer: do I have to keep on doing these?  
  
Draco's POV  
  
I really couldn't take my eyes off Annika, she was just so..hypnotizing. We had been spending a lot of time together over the last few days and I daresay we've gotten to know each other pretty well.  
  
She was the daughter of a supporter of Voldemort, quite well off in terms of finance and definitely a friend of my father. I had of course caught a glimpse or two of Hermione with that redhead but that no longer angered me anymore, my feelings for her were dulled.  
  
One morning, I stumbled into the Slytherin Common Room, still half-asleep and was welcomed by the warm arms of Annika wrapping themselves around me.  
  
"Ready to go to breakfast, Draco?" she purred in my ear seductively.  
  
"Mmmm.." I replied, disgusted at my lack of vocabulary.  
  
"Is that a yes or a no?" she chuckled, giving me a quick peck on my cheek.  
  
"It's a yes, Annika." I answered, pulling her closer, enjoying our intimacy. Now, we had never really greeted each other in this fashion but today obviously Annika was feeling a bit.. cuddly. Not that I was complaining, but it was making me really think..maybe I should ask her if we should take our friendship further.  
  
"Alright then, lets go to breakfast." She whispered, taking my hand and motioning for me to start moving. I smiled at her, knowing that before the end of tonight I would have an answer from her, and that we would probably be officially declared an item tonight.  
  
I wondered where I would be able to ask her in private and to my delight I remembered the common room that I hadn't visited in a few days. Perfect, and with that beautiful crystal necklace, she was bound to be mine.  
  
Hermione's POV It had been a few days since I had decided to be closer to Ron, just to get back at that stupid git from Slytherin. Now I was sorely resenting my decision. Not that it was Ron's fault or anything, he was still a great person, but it was the fact that Draco didn't even acknowledge my presence anymore [I mean come on, we had Potions, Care Of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy together!], and that try as I might, I really couldn't stop thinking about him..especially since now he spent all his time with that ravishing beauty.  
  
Who she was, I would never know, as my only link to Slytherin was Malfoy himself and now that he was completely infatuated with her.. I sighed as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast together, as they had been doing for the past few days and I was also aware that many of the male population of the school craned their heads just to get a look at her.  
  
Including Ron, much to my disgust, I mean even though he was hopelessly loyal to me, he really couldn't resist someone as stunning as her. He had always been a shallow type of guy, which was probably why he hadn't accepted Lavender yet. [sorry Lavender Fans!! I didn't mean it as an insult! =S]  
  
"Mione.. can I ask you a question?" Ron asked tentatively.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Umm.. I don't really know how to say this..but you know how we've been a bit more close to each other during the past few days.. I was wondering if something was going on between us." He continued softly. Uh oh. Now I had already realized that Ron did like me a lot, and I liked him too, just not in that way but I had been leading him on in a sense in trying to make Malfoy jealous.  
  
"Well, Ron.. I would like to say that there was something special between us but.. I'm really sorry. I've been using you as support because I'm not really sure about my feelings towards another person, trust me it's very complicated." I mumbled, squeezing Ron's hand in a [hopefully] comforting way.  
  
"Thought so." He muttered more to himself than to me and then he managed a weak smile at me before abruptly standing up and leaving the table. Lavender had been watching us from the corner of her eye and as soon as Ron had left, she quickly followed him, earning herself a few good-natured laughs from our table.  
  
"Hermione, what happened there? I thought you guys had finally come to your senses and started to go out!" exclaimed Harry who happened to be seated next to me with Parvati. She nodded in agreement to what Harry had just said and I was stuck in a very awkward situation.  
  
"I'm not too sure, I'm afraid that I've hurt him because.."  
  
"Yes?" prompted Harry.  
  
"I think that he misunderstood my actions for the past few days and I'm very sorry to say that I don't really have any feelings for him. He will always remain one of my closest friends to me."  
  
"Damn. I thought that maybe we could double date sometime!" Parvati teased half-heartedly.  
  
"Maybe with Lavender you could!" I winked at them both and we all left the Great Hall in better spirits.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
The day had flown by quickly and now it was already late afternoon and I was sitting in the dungeon with the Gryffindors in Potions, bored out of my mind. The only thing that seemed to keep me awake was Annika's comforting presence next to me. Once Snape's back was turned I leaned over and murmured in her ear;  
  
"I want to show you something tonight, so after dinner, don't go off with Pansy and them, stay with me, alright?"  
  
She looked at me with those beautiful eyes and locked my steely grey ones into her own golden ones. Suddenly I was sharply reminded of Hermione's warm chocolate ones flecked with that luminous gold.. I broke the gaze and let myself have a look over at the Gryffindor side of the room.  
  
I saw Hermione's hand up in the air again, but to my surprise she wasn't sitting next to Weasley today, but next to that Potter's girlfriend. I smirked to myself as Snape obviously ignored her hand and continued on with the lesson but suddenly without warning I was experiencing a sudden flash of a memory not so long ago when Hermione had lain in the Hospital Wing looking ever so fragile and -  
  
"Draco. Are you looking at that know-it-all over there?" asked Annika with a tinge of annoyance in her voice.  
  
"Of course not. She's a Mudblood for god's sake! I was just looking over at Potter over there, the one that you were talking about a few days ago, Annika." I said swiftly.  
  
"Yes, I've noticed that we only have one lesson with him, such a shame actually, he would be quite an interesting classmate if he were in Slytherin I would think." Replied Annika pointedly.  
  
"I don't think I could stand it if he were in Slytherin." I muttered.  
  
"And I don't think I could stand it if that insufferable Gryffindor were in our house."  
  
"Hermione." I mumbled softly, subconsciously correcting her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing." I replied quietly, now wondering if my taste in women was getting worse, it seemed as though Annika had more secrets than she let on. I mean she barely even knew Hermione and already she had something against her. I sighed, waiting now with dreaded anticipation for tonight.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"Ron..what's wrong?" asked Lavender in a cooing voice. Unfortunately, she was sitting next to me as she was getting quite annoying but it was lucky that Ron and I had a human barrier between us.  
  
"Nothing, Lavender. Just come off it. I'm fine." Replied Ron exasperatedly.  
  
"No you're not. I can tell. I can feel the vibrations within your soul, you're troubled. Even Professor Trelawney said so! Remember in Divination how you nearly fainted from mental exhaustion?" Lavender continued to ramble on and I cringed every time she mentioned me.  
  
Finally after awhile of staring into space, I heard the ringing of someone's clear laughter from across the hall and I saw the source of it. It was that beautiful girl sitting so close to Draco that she was practically in his lap, and much to my dismay he seemed to be enjoying it.  
  
'Well, if that's what he wants then good for him. I guess I'll never figure him out.' I thought to myself sadly. Looking around at the people surrounding me, I realized that I actually felt very alone, even when all my friends were around me I felt so lonely.  
  
Conversation carried on around me, and the piercing pain in my head grew more and more intense with the racket and that girl's laughter still ringing in my head. When it reached a climax I couldn't take it any longer, I stood up and smiled stiffly at my friends who were all looking at me with questioning looks on their faces.  
  
"Where are you going, Hermione? What's wrong? It's not even halfway through dinner yet!" exclaimed Lavender.  
  
"I just remembered that I catch up on some Muggle Studies work. Sorry guys! Enjoy the rest of dinner then!" I bluffed.  
  
"Hmm..see you in the common room tonight then!" said Harry with an small but encouraging smile on his face.  
  
"Bye Mione." Said Ron meekly.  
  
I nodded and then I turned on my heel and left the Great Hall looking for a sanctuary in which I could have some time to think my thoughts through alone.  
  
Ron's POV  
  
I sat frozen as she said that she was going to go somewhere to finish off her work. Was it because of me? Was I making her uncomfortable? I wanted to tell her that I was sorry for walking out at breakfast, but one look at her face rendered me speechless, I just couldn't say it.  
  
"Bye Mione." I said meekly.  
  
Ugh, before I knew it she was already leaving the table and as I stared at her retreating back I felt as though something wasn't right. It was as though she was just bluffing..  
  
"Harry! I just realized something!" I blurted out as Hermione left the hall and Harry turned to me, puzzled, "Hermione doesn't do Muggle Studies."  
  
"Oh shit. Not again!"  
Draco's POV  
  
"Annika, it's time." I said softly as the last trace of our dinner faded from our plates, taking her hand and leading her out of the Great Hall. With experience I quickly reached that fateful corridor where I had held Hermione close to me just a few nights ago.  
  
"Here we are." I whispered to Annika who stood still next to me, a glimmer of recognition seemed to flicker through her eyes and my curiousity got the better of me, "Have you been here before?"  
  
"Oh, no. Of course not. I've only been here a few days." She said hastily managing a quick false smile in my direction. My suspicion of her was mounting but nevertheless, she was still an amazing person and my awe of her was still intact. I was still ready to ask her to go out with me. I took the necklace out of my pocket and slipped it into the palm of my hand.  
  
"Alright then. Well close your eyes and let me lead you." I murmured, holding her arm and slowly pulling her along behind me to the one place in the wall, which I remembered.  
  
I stepped forward through the wall and as I passed through the substance of the wall I was suddenly aware that Annika's arm had slipped from my grasp and that she hadn't come through with me.  
  
As I stood in the familiar common room I was also sure that there was someone else in the room with me. But if it wasn't Annika who the hell was it?! I began to panic, and I circled the room peering behind the armchairs, and soon I was beginning to relax as I saw no one behind most of the big chairs but then -  
  
"Hermione?!"  
hey guys!  
  
Ok, I've already posted the next chapter cause I meant for these 2 chapters to be together, but then it got way too long so I decided to split it =) everything happens next chapter btw, so read on!  
  
Oh and thanks to my reviewers, esp. Ellie who reviewed for EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER so far!! Wow, thanks so much, it really encouraged me =)  
  
Oh and if someone could please tell me how to do italics and bold, it would be highly appreciated!  
  
Cheers!  
  
psychohart 


	15. First Love

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 15 - First Love  
  
Disclaimer: the usual  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Tears streamed down my face as my suppressed anguish of how everything had turned out between Draco and I came bubbling to the surface and I could do nothing to stop the rivulets of water.  
  
'Why?' I asked myself, 'Why him?'  
  
'Because he is the only boy in Hogwarts who can match your wits.' Came the answering voice, which I grudgingly admitted, was right. 'And he's handsome, smart, wealthy..'  
  
I burrowed deeper into the armchair and let myself settle comfortably into the warm fabric, willing myself to stop crying like a pathetic lovesick girl. I dried my cheeks gently and decided that it was time to go.  
  
But all of a sudden I was sure that there was someone else in the common room as well. It was an eerie feeling, as though there was a ghost or something.  
  
'Probably just Peeves.' I thought to myself reassuringly, but something else in my head told me that it couldn't be him. Then I heard footsteps and something prowling around the room and I began to feel a shadow of fear creep into my heart.  
  
I prepared to get quietly out of the chair and confront whatever was sneaking around when a pale face peered around the armchair and uttered my name.  
  
"Hermione?!" Familiar silvery-grey eyes came into view and I screamed shrilly in fright and shock, "Whoa, calm down!"  
  
"Malfoy! What are you doing here?!" I cried in pure panic.  
  
"That's what I'm meant to say!" he replied in frustration at probably seeing me here, I mean I was pretty surprised to see him here.. "Hey, what happened to calling me Draco?"  
  
"I don't know, maybe because someone has been ignoring me for the past few days." I spat back sarcastically, inwardly groaning at my childish behaviour.  
  
"God, Hermione! I didn't know that you were that bad-tempered. Just because I didn't say hello to you doesn't mean that our truce is off! I mean maybe it's even better that way, I'm not throwing insults at you anymore and neither are you!" he said irritatedly.  
  
I was silent for a little while, lost for words for once and I just sat looking at him with an annoyed expression on my face. After a while he became a bit uncomfortable and he looked away ashamedly.  
  
"I'm sorry. I've just been a bit preoccupied lately." He said softly.  
  
"With who?" I replied sourly.  
  
"Annika."  
  
"So that's her name!" I exclaimed before realizing that I had made a very stupid mistake.  
  
"You've noticed me with her?" asked Draco amusedly.  
  
"Erm, hasn't everyone?" I replied quickly.  
  
"Well I'm not too sure Crabbe and Goyle have even noticed that we're in sixth year, much less that I've been hanging around with her." He joked half-heartedly then looking at me seriously.  
  
I felt his gaze travel over my probably still red eyes and tear-stained cheeks and suddenly felt extremely embarrassed. It was as though he could see through me and completely know what I was going through.  
  
"Have you been crying, Hermione?" he asked softly.  
  
"None of your business."  
  
"It is my business!"  
  
"Prove it."  
  
He smiled mockingly at me and settled himself in the armchair next to me looking at me with his head cocked sideways.  
  
"You know, you've definitely grown more beautiful in the past few years, even though I wouldn't like to admit it." He remarked gently. And before I could stop it, my cheeks began to flush.  
  
"What are you talking about, Draco?!" I exclaimed incredulously, furiously trying to deny it.  
  
"You of course! I mean Annika for some reason couldn't come through here with me.." He trailed off uncomfortably and squirmed in his seat.  
  
"What were you going to do here anyway?" I asked curiously.  
  
"I don't know. I wanted to ask her out, you know in a 'romantic' way." He replied, shrugging his shoulders.  
  
"Here? How did you find your way here anyhow?" I asked, voicing my thoughts.  
  
"I just stumbled upon this place about a month back after the bathroom - so what about you?"  
  
"Same. It was after that night in the Prefect's bathroom and I was trying to avoid Filch and his cat, then I slipped through the wall and found this place!" I giggled at the memory and I realized with a shock that it had been awhile since I had laughed genuinely.  
  
"So we must've been in here at the same time." Draco suddenly said, and realization dawned on me as well.  
  
"Funny, I never thought someone else was in here as well." I said slowly, then something caught my eye and I realized that something was glittering in the palm of Draco's hand, "Hey, what have you got in your hand?"  
  
"Nothing, it was just something that I was going to give Annika." He opened his palm to illustrate his point and my breath caught in my throat. It was my necklace!  
  
"How did you get that?!" I burst out, my eyes widening.  
  
"Actually, now that I think back I found it in here!" he said after a moment's thought, "Why?"  
  
"That's mine." Yes, the silver chain, the beautiful angel with the crystal set in the middle was all identical. A huge weight lifted from my heart as I set eyes upon it again and I nearly sighed out loud in relief. I had found it again.  
  
"Really? Well, sorry about that. I had absolutely no idea! And to think I was going to give this to Annika.." Draco said with raised eyebrows. Then he handed it to me and I stretched out my hand to catch it but it slipped through my grasp and we both watched it slink to the floor.  
  
"I'll get it." We both said in unison and together we reached down to pick it up. As I straightened up with the necklace securely held in my warm hand, my lips suddenly brushed against Draco's in a chaste kiss and a flicker of emotion went through me. I blushed a deep red and I began to apologize.  
  
"Oh god, I'm so sorry I didn't mean -" But before I could finish my his lips captured mine again and I would never forget the lustful look in his eyes as he held me and continued to explore my mouth with his and the way that his tongue delved into my mouth itself and intertwined itself with mine.  
  
By instinct I did some exploring myself, tracing the contours of his soft lips with my tongue, feeling a sharp sense of pleasure when he moaned into my mouth as my hand ran up and down the back of his robes. But when he let his hand rest on my hip, continuing to kiss me I was suddenly jolted back to reality.  
  
"We shouldn't, god it's so wrong a Slytherin and a Gryffindor.." I stammered, struggling to regain my breath as I broke away from the kiss.  
  
"It doesn't matter, no one needs to know." He replied, his voice husky once again, his eyes heavy with passion. He kissed me again deeply, this time actually taking my breath away with surprise and he pushed me down onto the carpet settling himself comfortably on top of me.  
  
"How the hell did I ever stop liking you?" he breathed into my ear, planting butterfly kisses all along my neck, "How did I let Annika take your place?"  
  
"What?!" I gasped, looking at him incredulously.  
  
"You know, she's just got outer beauty. At least yours comes from within as well." He replied with a wink, "Don't be so surprised."  
  
"No, I mean did you just say that you liked me?!" I choked out and his hand continued to run all along my body with a feather-light touch.  
  
"Is it that unbelievable?"  
  
"Yes." I replied softly, looking at him intently now. He stopped his massaging and looked at me as well, sensing that I was going to continue, "Because I liked you too."  
  
"What?!" he spluttered, getting off me in shock, he sat down beside me instead looking at me with disbelief painted all over his face, "And you never told me?! All this time I was with Annika.." I shrugged, sitting up to face him defiantly,  
  
"You seemed very taken with her; it's been three days already..anyway, its not as though we could ever be an item. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor just don't go together." I said nonchalantly.  
  
"I was very taken with her, she's very attractive, haven't you noticed?" he replied pointedly.  
  
"I haven't but obviously the rest of the school has." I replied bitterly, hearing that he moved closer to me and motioned for me to hug him. I obeyed, letting myself lean against his strong, broad chest, feeling how safe I felt with him.  
  
"You know, as clichéd as this sounds I don't want this night to end, I guess I've come to my senses..and realized what I really want." He whispered in my ear, making me get a warm fuzzy feeling and want to hug him even more.  
  
"Me either." I replied, with a definite tone to my voice, "But you understand that whatever happened just then cant go beyond these walls."  
  
"I know." He sighed defeatedly and instead brought me closer to him. I really didn't understand him, one minute he was all over Annika and the next moment he was sincerely telling me about his feelings for me. I sighed myself and just reveled in this calm tranquility that I now associated with Draco.  
  
He nudged my arm and gestured towards my palm, hinting that maybe I would like to open my palm up. I did, and he took the exquisite necklace from me and swept my hair off my shoulders, gently putting it on, everywhere he touched was literally on fire.  
  
But with that feeling of joy also came guilt. Everyone would despise us, if we ever had a relationship, or if everyone ever found out that we harbored feelings for each other. I snapped back to reality.  
  
"I don't know what I'm going to do about this. But you know what? I think that we should just get on with our lives and forget about this. I mean I honestly don't even believe that we could ever be together. It's just so damn inconceivable that it's extremely possible that it's not true!" I said getting out of his warm clutches.  
  
Standing up, I looked back down at him where he sat looking at me with confused eyes, "What I mean is that we should just forget about all this, I mean I can tell that it's just lust. We're both going to get hurt in the end and it's just not worth it."  
  
I turned around not wanting him to see me crying, and I choked out my last words, struggling to keep my voice neutral.  
  
"Bye Draco. And good luck with your new girlfriend, I hope it all works out for you and Annika."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
"Hermione!" I began to protest but she was already gone, and I hung my head in self-disgust, not knowing what to do.  
  
'Damn, Draco you just let her slip out of your reach again. She so obviously doesn't trust you, so why don't you try and gain her trust?!' said that annoying little voice in my head.  
  
I sighed exasperatedly, knowing that at the rate that I was going at I would only land myself in more trouble, especially if father knew that I was associating with a Mudblood.  
  
But god, the feeling of her writhing below me in pure pleasure was just so incredible. Now I couldn't get her out of my mind, and I was really cross with myself at the way that I had been acting for the past couple of days, acting as though Hermione never existed..giving everything up for Annika.  
  
But Hermione was right, maybe what we felt for each other was only lust, nothing more. It was true that we would just both get hurt in the end, not just by each other but everyone else who would oppose our relationship. But at the same time I really didn't care about who didn't like us being together, all I wanted to do was to hold her in my arms and do whatever I pleased with her without criticism.  
  
The memory of kissing her was already leaving me breathless and I remembered the exhilaration I felt when I had first felt her soft lips brushing against mine, making my pulse start racing.  
  
I really needed to sort out my feelings, to identify what I felt for Annika and what I felt for Hermione, because honestly, someone's going to get hurt and I have a funny feeling that it's going to be Hermione..  
  
And so I left the common room confused, frustrated and very lightheaded, wondering what the next day would bring.  
Hey everyone!  
  
I had a very hard time writing this chapter and I'm very sorry if some of you are just as confused as Draco and Hermione are. But hey, there was some action eh? =)  
  
Ok, so just to clear things up, what I'm trying to say in this chapter [and the last one too] is that Draco is mesmerized by Annika but he feels something special for Hermione, and she feels it too.  
  
And now that they both know that they both have feelings for each other they're completely lost about they're going to do about it, because they're afraid of the consequences and what people are going to think about them.  
  
Also, I'm sorry about how long it took for these two clueless lovebirds to get to this stage, because I wanted to try to portray them as realistically as possible, and that didn't include falling head over heels in love in the space of one chapter, so yeah!  
  
Thanks everyone [including the silent readers] for supporting me and waiting so patiently for the romance to begin!  
  
So read on to see what happens on the "Next Episode of Never Say Never!"  
  
Ciao folks! [please review]  
  
psychohart 


	16. Aftermath

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 16 - Aftermath  
  
Disclaimer: all rights belong to J.K Rowling but I own the plot of this particular story.  
Hermione's POV  
  
I looked in the mirror and I could see bags under my eyes, no doubt I didn't get a very good sleep last night. I ran a tired arm through my tangled hair and stumbled back to my warm bed, thinking about how I would face the day.  
  
For all I knew maybe Draco would already be with Annika or something, and we could go back to hating each other, so that I could forget what I felt for him, but that was too much to hope for, we still had that truce going on.  
  
I hurriedly put on my black robes over the usual school uniform realizing that Lavender and Parvati were already gone. Everything felt so bleak and grey, it wasn't fair that with just one kiss he could turn my world upside down.  
  
I grimaced as I nearly tripped down the stairs, at the moment I really didn't really care about anything except about what was going on with Draco and me, it was too preoccupying to ignore..  
  
"Hey Mione!" said Harry as he saw me coming down the stairs and I forced a small smile onto my face to greet him, "You look tired."  
  
Harry frowned and put a reassuringly arm around my shoulders, leading me over to a squashy armchair near the fireplace. Then I noticed that Ron was sitting next to him with a bland expression on his face and some toast with some jam on it on a napkin in his hand.  
  
"We got breakfast for you..listen Mione, I think we should sit down and talk." Explained Harry as he took the armchair next to me and handed me some orange juice with the toast on the napkin, which I accepted gratefully. Thank god I didn't have to go down to the Great Hall and see Draco.  
  
"Yeah, sure what do you want to talk about?" I asked curiously, taking a bite of the toast and a sip of the juice.  
  
"Well, Ron and me have been thinking about your behaviour lately and it's been very strange. I mean remember yesterday at dinner when -" Harry was interrupted abruptly by Ron who until then had been quite mute.  
  
"You don't do Muggle Studies, Hermione." He mumbled submissively, looking at me with concern. My eyes widened at the memory and I quickly shrugged my shoulders and said in a cheerful voice,  
  
"Did I say Muggle Studies yesterday?! I think I meant Arithmancy, sorry must've gotten a bit confused." I smiled at them, hoping they wouldn't ask too much.  
  
"You never get confused and you never need to catch up for Arithmancy!" Ron burst out and I suddenly felt a need to defend myself.  
  
"How would you know, Ron?! I mean you never even noticed that I was a girl until you needed to ask someone out for the Yule Ball in fourth year. You never cared about my feelings when you called me an insufferable know-it- all and how do you think I felt when you accused me of being friends with Viktor when you were his biggest fan?!" I yelled back at him, letting my frustration get the better of me.  
  
"What's that got to do with your weird behaviour these days?! We're talking about now, not the past! And anyway I've already said sorry to you over those things!" he shouted angrily.  
  
"Listen, Ron, Hermione don't fight. I just wanted all of us to sort things out together, and that can't happen with you guys snapping at each other. We've been through a lot together, so lets not let something stupid like this tear us apart." Said Harry quietly, his eyes pleading with us.  
  
"She started it." Muttered Ron and I gave him a glare, which made Harry sigh disappointedly.  
  
"Who cares. We're here to talk about why Hermione hasn't been herself lately. Care to explain, Mione?" said Harry levelly, giving me an inquisitive look.  
  
"Nothing's wrong. I've just been going through some rough times, I've got all this work, all this stress and just life's been really challenging." I said nonchalantly.  
  
"Well, if you're in trouble then you should tell us." Said Harry softly, "That's what friends are for right?"  
  
"Yeah, listen I'm sorry for acting so strangely lately. Its probably just 'hormones'." I joked giving Harry a weak smile, and Ron another glare when he snorted contemptuously.  
  
"I bet it's a 'girl thing' again. Women are so hopeless." He muttered darkly.  
  
"Great, so now that everything's good again, what about some real breakfast?" said Harry brightly as he stood up, heading towards the portrait hole.  
  
"I'm full already, I don't need any real breakfast." I stated walking back to the staircase, "I'll see you guys in Transfiguration."  
  
"Alright then. See you soon!" replied Harry as he slipped out of the common room with Ron trailing sullenly behind him.  
  
I went back to my dormitory and I sat on the edge of my bed and began to wonder what Harry and Ron's reactions would be if they knew the real reason for my strange behaviour. I sighed, knowing that there would probably be no solution to this problem except to talk to Draco himself about it.  
  
'I'm not going to let him get me down.' I told myself firmly and I knew that the only way to stop myself from falling even more for him was to end all relations with him, even if it meant for me to suffer. Anyway, Parvati was always telling me that if you wanted to stop liking someone, the solution was to chase after someone else...but the question was who?  
[The Great Hall]  
  
"You know I have a feeling that Hermione isn't telling us the whole truth." Said Ron suddenly.  
  
"Really? I trust Mione, she's a smart girl, she knows what's best for her, so if she's trying to keep something from us maybe it's for the better, but I wouldn't mind knowing what she's hiding." Replied Harry thoughtfully.  
  
"What's she doing there?!" exclaimed Ron in horror as they neared the Gryffindor table, seeing Lavender sitting in his usual spot next to Dean and Seamus. She turned around and beamed at him, patting the seat next to her.  
  
"Looks like someone's got a seat saved for them.." Harry smirked at Ron mockingly and made his way to HIS usual seat next to Parvati which was much more welcome than Lavender's.  
  
"What did I do to deserve all this?!" Ron muttered to himself before sitting next to Lavender who immediately turned to him and began to chatter. Then suddenly he turned and saw Malfoy glaring at him in a menacing sort of way. 'What's he so sour about?' he wondered to himself before shrugging it off as images of Hermione took over in his mind.  
Draco's POV  
  
"Bollocks." I muttered as Potter and that Weasel entered the Great Hall, one of them looking quite worried. I continued to glare at the redhead throughout the meal and I was aware that he turned around once or twice as a result of my staring, but that made me even angrier.  
  
I could almost sense that those two had just been questioning Hermione about why she was out last night or something, they just couldn't keep their big fat noses out of anything to do with her. She deserves some privacy, I mean she has some right to keep some things hidden from them.  
  
I shivered as I remembered what had happened last night, every touch so vivid and every memory so precious. God, what Potter and Weasley would do if they found out..oh well I know I could take them on any day, they were pixies compared to Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
I looked around and I realized that Hermione hadn't come into the hall with them, which must mean that they had an argument or something..but that didn't have anything to do with me, she doesn't want me..she already made that clear last night.  
  
A sleepless night last night had really helped me get things straight about what was going on between us. It was true, there was an attraction between us but as she said it was probably just lust, after all she didn't want to get involved with me because 'a Slytherin and Gryffindor' just don't go together. [those words hurt actually.]  
  
Meanwhile on the other hand Annika was a Slytherin too and she was beautiful, not as witty as Hermione but still sly and smart..she would do. I wouldn't mind being seen around with her, as far as I was concerned she was hot property, she basically had every boy in Hogwarts drooling over her with the exception of Potter of course which I knew infuriated her to no end.  
  
I smiled grimly at my decision and turned around to face Annika with a playful smirk on my face making her raise her perfectly sculpted eyebrows at me.  
  
"I'm sorry about last night, I had no idea that you couldn't come through with me.." I started off, taking her hand in mine.  
  
"It's alright. You're forgiven, but you did take awfully long to realize that I wasn't there with you.." She replied cunningly.  
  
"Well, erm..lets not dwell on that, when I did get out of the room you weren't there anymore." I said pointedly.  
  
"I was impatient, so naturally I left." Was the short answer I got. She pulled her hand away from mine and placed it daintily on the table.  
  
"Fair enough, so if you want we could try again tonight, I'll make sure we get through that wall.." I whispered to her, pleading with her with my eyes. Her reaction was exactly what I had anticipated, a slight smile gracing her features as she pondered how to answer me.  
  
"I'll be waiting." She murmured as she got up from the table, smoothed out her robes and walked briskly out of the Great Hall leaving many mouths open and some eyes following her appreciatively.  
  
My usual smirk made its way back onto my face as I felt for the first time definite in my decision to forget Hermione. Tonight was going to be a night to be remembered.  
Hermione's POV  
  
Night had descended on the majestic castle, which was like a home to me. I felt the coolness of the wind coming in through the window, which was open and I shivered in spite of myself and hurriedly went to close it firmly.  
  
I shook my head to clear it of the half-formed thoughts running through it, each starting or ending with a certain person's name.. I hadn't seen Draco all day and a small part of me was glad for that, but the bigger part of me was kind of anxious to get the task of talking everything over with him over and done with.  
  
'What was I going to do?' I asked myself, wondering just how I would approach him, and what tone of voice I was going to use.. Ugh! What on earth was wrong with me?! Since when did I worry about little things such as that? I mean yes I was a perfectionist and all but this was my former archenemy..  
  
Everything that had happened between us was wrong from the beginning and we both had to learn to accept it, no matter what feelings we still had for each other. With a start I sat up quickly, feeling a sudden burst of energy, and in that moment I finally had the courage to go and find that person that I had been dreading to talk to.  
  
Before I knew it, my legs had carried me out of the common room, blissfully unnoticed and I was descending one of the many staircases of Hogwarts. Each step that I took was taking me closer and closer to him... should I go to the Slytherin Common Room and wait for him outside of there or what? Then it struck me, how could I forget our room?!  
  
Immediately I turned and ran back up the steps I just came down from and hurried towards the common room, not even pausing to think about where I was going, my feet seemed to be moving at its own accord. As I neared the common room, a familiar nauseous feeling returned to me, I could feel all sorts of emotions coursing through my veins and it was making me feel dizzy.  
  
But as the fateful corridor came into focus, I came to my senses and I steadied myself against the wall. I could feel his presence, but something troubled me, something told me that something was horribly wrong...but what?  
  
I found the entrance to the room and took a deep breath to calm myself, 'Relax Hermione, there's nothing to be scared of..everything's going to be alright.' I reassured myself, everything's going to be just fine. By the time I come out of this room I'll be free, free from everything that a complicated relationship brings.  
  
I took a small step forward and after a little hesitation, I took a few more steps and found myself slipping through the substance of the wall, the feeling no longer strange to me. As soon as I felt air on my skin once more I stopped walking and looked around the room for those telltale blond locks, and upon seeing them somewhere in the sea of armchairs I began to stride briskly towards them, all the while readying myself for the confrontation.  
  
But the sight that greeted me made me stop in my tracks.  
  
"Welcome." An icy voice loomed out of the shadows and the wand that I clutched in my hands flew out of my grip. I was defenseless and I was trapped.  
Hey everyone,  
  
This term at school has been so busy for me, esp. close to the end of it, so now that its holidays, I'm going to make up for it by posting a lot more =) is that alright with everyone?! =P well, firstly I want some reviews..this chapter ended with a cliffie, not a very good one but still one anyhow so I want people to tell me exactly what they think of the story so far, in order for me to continue the story to their liking. Alright? All clear? Good! Oh, and I'm sorry again for the delay for this chapter..it wasn't intended.  
  
Well, I hope you're all looking forward to the next chapter! Because I promise you that it will be VERY interesting.. Oh yeah does anyone know how to make text BOLD and/or ITALICIZED?? Any help will be greatly appreciated.  
  
Thanks everyone =)  
  
psychohart 


	17. Revelation

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 17 - Revelation  
  
Disclaimer: Characters belong to the talented, successful J.K Rowling! Plot belongs to me. Yes, unfortunately. =)  
Draco's POV [before Hermione gets to room]  
  
"Draco.." Purred a voice close to my ear. It was time to take this stunning girl to that elusive room, god the thought of it was making me nervous already. I turned to smile at Annika, gently taking her hand and leading her out of the dark Slytherin Common Room.  
  
"Are we going there again?" she asked with a hint of excitement to her voice, her eyes sparkling for an unknown reason. Her cunning was not something to be reckoned with, and in this case I was a little suspicious, she wasn't usually so happy about little things such as this.  
  
"Yes, why do you ask?" I replied furtively. Annika picked up my doubt in her and she turned those eyes so alike to a dangerous large feline's to me and I felt myself get lost in the pools of brown flecked with yellow, now glowing a luminous gold which I didn't like.  
  
"You'll see, Draco..you'll see.." Her hands began to roam over my chest and I could feel my breathing getting more ragged, despite my mounting suspicion of her, "I've been looking forward to this night for quite awhile..what about you.."  
  
".. Uhhuh." I choked out finally after a few agonizing moments of her slender hands exploring my upper body. I caught her small hands in mine and tightened my grip on them, not allowing her to play anymore, "Can't you wait, bitch?" I growled fury evident in my voice. She didn't flinch, but her eyes flared with anger and I felt her hands grudgingly stop resisting against my grip on them.  
  
"I can wait, but can you?" she replied haughtily, as though mocking me. I looked down on her in distaste, why was it that she was so difficult? I calmed myself down, I couldn't afford to treat Annika like this, where else was I going to find someone like her, someone that could satisfy me and match me in wit?  
  
'There's always Granger..' That nagging voice was back. I angrily pushed it to the back of my mind, 'Hermione's even more difficult than Annika, that stubborn girl who refused me.'  
  
I looked back at Annika now, my expression softened. Her gaze was intent and unnerving but the moment she saw my face become gentler; she turned the scowl into a gracious smile.  
  
'Are you sure you want to do this Draco? She's quite two-faced..' I stopped in my tracks as I thought that making Annika stop abruptly and look at me in sudden shock.  
  
"We're nearly there Draco, lets keep on moving." She murmured.  
  
'It all goes back to Hermione rejecting you. Annika's just a backup. You don't really want her, she's just a toy in order for you to forget Hermione. You still love her.'  
  
"Is there something wrong?" asked Annika impatiently, peering into my eyes and seeing no apparent reaction, then waving her hand a few times in front of my face.  
  
"No, nothings wrong. I'm just a bit distracted today." I replied quietly, forcing myself to continue walking. All too soon we were in that corridor and honestly I wasn't sure if wanted to go ahead with it..was she worth it?  
  
Ignoring the conflict inside me, I continued walking towards the common room, even though I felt as though something wasn't quite right. The corridor didn't feel especially welcoming tonight, not that it did every other night but..  
  
"We're here." Breathed Annika excitedly.  
  
"Er..yes..come with me." I replied, tugging her along until I found the spot in the wall that allowed us into the room, "Hold on this time." Her hand in mine wasn't exactly reassuring...  
  
And with that we walked forward and slipped from the corridor into the common room. When we had both gotten through, I turned to Annika, whose eyes were twinkling with some type of mirth, and I opened my mouth to say something to her..  
  
"Well hello Draco." Said a cold voice from behind me, "I've been expecting you."  
  
I would recognize that voice anywhere, it was the voice in my nightmares, one that haunted me day and night.. I quickly spun around, my wand at the ready but he was too quick for me. All I could remember before everything went black was a pair of red eyes that were filled with the same type of mirth that Annika's were.  
  
--*--  
  
When I awoke I saw Annika's face smiling devilishly at me and at that moment I knew that she was in league with Him all this time. How could I be so thick?! I tried to sit up but then I discovered that my hands were clamped to my sides by the Body Binding spell, making me effectively defenseless.  
  
Annika's grin grew wider as she saw me struggling, she put a calming hand on my cheek and began to stroke it, knowing I couldn't swipe it away. She then turned to Lord Voldemort who was pacing on the other side of the room, twirling my wand in his skeleton like fingers.  
  
"Ah, so you've woken up, Draco." He said in a clipped voice, not looking away from the window which was letting in strands of golden light. I could hear the strange glee in his voice again and when he turned around to stare at me intently I was blown away with the impact of his glare.  
  
"Why are you here?" I asked tentatively, not wishing to provoke him unnecessarily, "My Lord." I added a bit hastily.  
  
"For various reasons, one being to meet my heir who has been kept in the dark for too long a time. And another is of course to reward Annika for all her work here at Hogwarts, by giving her the Dark Mark. She's to become the second female Death Eater. Oh, and there is another reason, but that shall not be said to you yet." He replied discreetly.  
  
That beautiful girl was a follower of Voldemort all that time. I could've hit myself [I couldn't of course, I was even deprived of that privilege!] for not thinking twice about the fact that she was most certainly a supporter since her father was as well. How naïve of me it was to think that everyone had a right to choose whether they were going to be a Death Eater or not.  
  
I knew that he was going to administer the Dark Mark to me, he knew that if he hadn't lured me here by using Annika, I wouldn't have come to him willingly any other time. I marveled at the genius of his plan, a seemingly innocent girl sent to Hogwarts as a spy for him, at the same time charming certain people..or maybe it was just me.  
  
"And why are we still here in Hogwarts, my Lord?" I asked.  
  
"As I said before, we are waiting for my heir. Do not question me further, everything will be explained when she gets here." He replied irritably.  
  
She?! Will wonders never cease?! I thought to myself wonderingly, my curiousity mounting..who was she? And since we were still in Hogwarts..that could only mean that she went to Hogwarts too! I quickly ran through a mental list of the possible Slytherin candidates.  
  
Pansy...nah, too stupid, Millicent? Quite thick, she was like a female version of Crabbe or Goyle. Meagan? Perhaps, she was quiet but everyone knew that she was heavily into the Dark Arts.  
  
I sat now, waiting in anticipation for this one girl, wondering just who the Dark Lord had chosen to be his heir. Or heiress for that matter.. then it happened. I sensed another presence in the room and I tried to turn around to get a look at her but Annika held me down mockingly.  
  
"You bitch." I spat at her, but she looked at the entrance defiantly. Her true colours were showing, she was nothing near the sweet girl I had first met, she had been slowly changing all through these few weeks until I had realized that she was just a cunning, sly, calculating figure with charm. A pawn in Voldemort's quest for power.  
  
"Welcome." I heard Voldemort's hissing voice and I cursed silently for not being able to look at the poor girl who was his heir. Was she innocent? Was she summoned subconsciously to this room which after all turns out to be Voldemort's secret domain? Maybe I was fated to find this room. I sighed, knowing that I could never worm my way out of this one. I was going to be bound to the service of the Dark Lord forever.  
  
"Release him, Annika." Came his powerful voice once again and immediately the hold on me was taken off and as Annika quietly whispered a spell, the Body Bind was also released.  
  
"Thank you." I said to her, venom dripping off those words. I stood up and turned around to face the Dark Lord and his heir. My eyes widened and I could swear that my heart stopped beating in my chest. It was her. All at once I could feel my world coming down on me, he could've taken anyone, anyone to be his heir but god damn it, he had to choose her...the one thing in my life that should've had nothing to do with this.  
  
My heart lurched as I saw that her wand had joined mine in Voldemort's grip. We were both defenseless now. We were trapped. But..she was his heir. Somehow those words still hadn't made sense in my mind. Her? Voldemort's heir?! And she was completely oblivious to that fact.  
  
"Hermione." My voice cracked as I began to stride towards her, the urge to protect her more fierce than ever. Voldemort's thin lips were curling into a smile at this but I ignored it, all I could see was her, hurt in her eyes, she looked so innocent, so beautiful and so pure.  
  
"Don't come any closer." She snarled, her eyes flashing at me, "I can't believe I trusted you. All this time... I thought we really were going somewhere. But deceit, lies, slyness and charm run in your blood don't they, Malfoy? I should've known that you were a Death Eater."  
  
I inhaled deeply..she thought that I had betrayed her. She thought I was the one who led her here to Voldemort and that I was working for him. She still thought that I was evil. That I was Dark. I laughed, how could I still be Dark when she had shown me so much pureness, so much light..  
Hey everyone!  
  
I separated the rest of this chapter because otherwise it would take too long to explain everything, so stay tuned for next chapter coz EVERYTHING is explained there.. =) I hope you guys liked this chapter, I found it a bit dull but hey, its all good anyway.  
  
So, I would like to say thanks to everyone that reviewed my story so far, and I hope that you will keep on reviewing, I mean after all, it costs nothing and its just your opinion, and hearing your opinion can help improve my story =)  
  
I'll have the next chapter up soon, I promise!  
  
Love,  
  
psychohart 


	18. Darkness

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 18 - Darkness  
  
Disclaimer: I own this plot, Annika but nothing else.  
Hermione's POV  
I couldn't believe it, I just told Draco that he was a liar and he was laughing. That really proves how fun it must've been for him all this time. And I couldn't believe that I had walked straight into his trap, I had come here of my own accord! I had been willing to come to his Master..  
  
But just what I was doing here was still a mystery. Wasn't He after Harry? Why had He brought me here? After all, Voldemort had found His way into Hogwarts, Harry was within His reach for once and he knew nothing about it.  
  
"Now, Hermione I understand that you are wondering why you are here. Draco was asking the same thing. Now, everything shall be explained." Said Voldemort grandly, with an unnerving smile. He motioned for us to sit down in the two armchairs in front of him and we obediently did so.  
  
So, it turns out that Malfoy wasn't in on this. I turned to him and raised my eyebrows at him.  
  
"I'm sorry." I whispered and he smiled gratefully. Suddenly movement caught my eye and I saw that girl that had been everywhere with Draco for the past few weeks. Annika. She was standing elegantly beside Voldemort, a patronizing smile on her full lips.  
  
"Hermione, I would like you to meet my beautiful supporter, Annika Debauche. She has been doing some spy work here at Hogwarts, and I daresay she's been quite helpful. We have been meeting here in this room for a few weeks. It was not by chance that you both found this room, for only those who have my power can come through the barrier of the room. I apologize for forgetting to take the charm off the entrance last night, Annika." Here he paused to smile cunningly at Annika, who returned it with a knowing look on her face, "Now it is my turn to explain the meaning of all this. For you should have a right to know. You are my heir."  
  
I gasped. My world came crashing down on me and I found it hard to breathe. He..that...foul sorcerer's heir?! How could that be?! I quickly looked away from his unnerving red eyes and I found that Draco had taken my hand in his and was gripping it tightly, and as much as I wouldn't like to admit it, his touch was comforting.  
  
"You see, Hermione, not everything in your life is what you think it is. You are not even a Mudblood! For you are actually a pureblood, a pureblood of the highest class, born of the most devoted of my followers, The Lestranges. Of course, you have not met them yet, they are imprisoned in Azkaban still, but nevertheless let me go back to a time 20 years ago." He paused here, his eyes flickering towards Draco. Then he continued on, his silky voice entrancing.  
  
"I had been in full power back in those days, feared by all of the Wizarding world, with good reason. Two faithful servants were summoned to me, for I knew that they had both just married their lovers. Those two followers were your fathers, Lucius Malfoy and Marc Lestrange. I had a task for them, for their wives to bear my two heirs, one to be a male, and the other to be a female for they were to be betrothed in their later years, when they came of age." His smile was eerie and I swallowed silently as I realized that the children he was talking about was me and Draco.  
  
"True to the spell that I placed on their wives, they both produced my heirs, a male and a female and I could not have been more delighted. My successors were secured and all the power, cleverness and magic that ran in my veins, would run in theirs too. Can you both feel it? The power coursing through your bodies...and have you both not wondered why you have exceptional levels of intelligence? Yes, it was all because I, Lord Voldemort gave it to you, I gave you both more than your parents could ever even dream of giving you." I shuddered, this was too strange for me. But Voldemort was speaking so gently to us, that I really couldn't understand how He could hate Harry with such a feverish passion.  
  
"But then, how did I - " I began before I was cut off by Voldemort again.  
  
"When you were still a young child around 2 years old, the Lestranges were caught and forced into Azkaban. My downfall had come already and I was wandering aimlessly in Albania, unable to protect you, my heir. What happened was that Dumbledore realized that though you were born into a Dark family, you were still young and there was still hope to take you back to the Light side. And so he placed you with the Grangers, a Muggle family that one of his nieces knew, I believe." He smirked here, patting me fondly on my shoulder,  
  
"But no one can hide from the Dark Lord, not even my own heir...however Dumbledore did try to conceal your true identity to me. The spells he placed on you were very complex, but he forgot something very important. A family heirloom, given to your mother by me, to give to you when you came of age. A delicate silver necklace with an angel pendant, a blue crystal set in the centre of it. Does that sound familiar?" He asked softly, and without even realizing it, I had taken the necklace from my neck and given it to him. His power was absolute.  
  
"Ah, yes. I believe that it was found at the ruins of the Lestranges' estate in Kent and sold to that jeweler in Diagon Alley. Well, the necklace obviously found you, because it has enabled me to communicate with you. At first I thought that you were just some Mudblood that found the necklace by chance, for you were resisting me and that could only mean you were on the Light side. But then a thought struck me. What had happened to my female heir, daughter of the Lestranges? Then all the pieces of the puzzle came together and I sent Annika to clear things up for me. And I did indeed find you, did I not?"  
  
I was still struggling to process all these things that Voldemort had just said. I nodded slowly, recognizing the link between my necklace and Him. Oh! It was no wonder I had been getting all those dark nightmares! When I had lost it, I had been getting better sleep too...how could I be so slow?! Voldemort smiled at me, and handed the necklace back to me.  
  
"Keep it, for it is a very powerful talisman. It will ward off your enemies from you, I gave it to your mother for protection but unfortunately, she did not listen. If she had, then perhaps things might've turned out much differently. Perhaps you would have never befriended Potter. But this is the way the fates have intended everything to happen, and we shall not interfere with the fates." Stated Voldemort pointedly.  
  
"Now Hermione. I am not going to give you the Dark Mark until you have given me the permission to, but I warn you. If you decide to return to the Light side, then you have forsaken your true destiny, to become the most powerful witch in history. You will receive no mercy and I will not give you a second thought. Your side will fail, and Darkness shall come over the world, dominating it. You will perish with those fools who were blinded by that Muggle loving idiot, Albus Dumbledore." His voice now had an edge to it, and I shivered in spite of it all, "But I will give you some time to decide. I'll leave you here with Draco for a few hours. But remember. I have your wands. You will not be able to escape even if you tried. Oh, and Draco. This is also the time for you to think about which side you will choose."  
  
"Yes, my lord." Draco replied, confidence in his voice. I looked at him in surprise, how could he still be feeling so calm when the Dark Lord had just given us the ultimatum of our lives?! To fight with his side and become powerful or to die fighting against him.  
  
"Very well. I shall not be far, I will be somewhere around the castle, I have some business to attend to. I'll be back in 2 hours. I hope that you will have both made your decisions then." Those piercing red eyes were on us again, but then with a snap of his fingers he bid us goodbye and Annika vanished with him.  
  
I let out a sigh of relief and leaned back in the armchair, finally relaxing. Thoughts were racing through my head, and I felt suddenly lightheaded. As things came into focus in my minds eye, I realized that everything I had been fighting for, everything that I had believed and the very life that I had been living, was false.  
  
I was Lord Voldemort's heir, destined to rule the world with Him, destined to be merciless and destined to fight against Light. How could that be? I was part of the Light side, I was against Lord Voldemort and I was a Mudblood. Right?  
  
I shook my head, knowing that I would never think of myself as part of the Dark side, heir to Lord Voldemort, daughter of Death Eaters. And...a pureblood. It was too confusing, too unreal and too unbelievable.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Hermione. There's nothing to be scared about, I mean He's not going to hurt you in any way, you're His heir!" said Draco gently, standing up from his armchair and moving so that he stood in front of me. I gazed at him, seeing those ice-grey eyes finally changing, they became more of a icy blue now, one of my favourite colours...then without any sign of what was to come he pulled me out of the armchair and into his arms.  
  
I was sorely reminded of that night when he had held me in his arms for the first time, the night before Annika came...oh, I remembered the confusion I felt when he had hugged me, it was strange, but even though I had only been this close to him a few times, the feeling and scent of his body wasn't foreign.  
  
I breathed in deeply, he smelled fresh, like himself. A mixture of expensive cologne and that scent that was uniquely his. And I liked it. It felt so right to be in his strong arms, it made me feel safe, even though I was completely confused inside. He pulled me even closer, my body pressed so tightly against his that I could hear his heart thumping, and I looked up at him with a grin.  
  
"I'm not scared. I mean, He gave me some of his power, so we shouldn't be too easy to kill." I said smugly, "Well He obviously gave you some of it too...and if we stick together, we'll be fine."  
  
"If only everything was as simple as that." Draco sighed and looked at me intently, "So, what are you thinking? He'll kill us if we join the Light side, and you know it. I can honestly tell you now that I don't intend to become evil for power. If we go to the Light side, both of us that is, then maybe we'll stand a chance against him. We're with Dumbledore after all."  
  
I peered at him, the image of him as a Death Eater still firmly in my head, I had been used to thinking of him like that for six years and now I realized that he really didn't want to be one. Regardless of the way he acted. Its ironic how things turn out.  
  
"You know, everything used to be so easy, life was like a puzzle for me. You just had to find the pieces. And I was convinced that I was like halfway to finishing it, because there was just some things in life that I wasn't meant to find out yet, I was supposed to experience it first before adding another piece to the puzzle. But, being Harry's friend, we had been through a lot." My voice shook a little, but I continued talking, Draco's presence was comforting enough, "But now, I feel as though Voldemort's just come in and taken the puzzle and dumped it upside down so that I'm back to square one. I have to find my way through life all over again, because all the things that I've been through weren't real, they were fake."  
  
"Don't think like that! Be optimistic, at least you know that you're a pureblood." Draco said lightly, smirking at me.  
  
"God, only you could say that at this time. But it's not just like that. I've been lied to for the last 16 years of my life. I'm not who I think I am. I'm nowhere near who I think I am! For god's sake, I don't even know who my parents are! I can't believe that the person that I've been told to hate for the last few years of my life, ever since I became a witch, has an heir. And that heir is me!" I exclaimed, frustration taking over. I pulled away from Draco and sat back down on my squishy armchair.  
  
"Don't forget that I'm one of his heirs too." Murmured Draco, looking away angrily.  
  
"Its different for you, Draco! And you know it! You stayed with your family, you were brought up thinking that the Dark Lord was the best. I, on the other hand didn't even know about magic until I was 11 years old. Much less about the Dark Lord!" I yelled at him, not knowing why on earth he was so furious. He flinched but within a moment, his jaw was set in a hard line.  
  
"So what? You think that's a blessing? It's not, Hermione. You have no idea how life is. You can't even begin to imagine what it's like to live with my father. The father that I had idolized since I was a little boy, what had changed that? The fact that I became aware that my father killed people. Innocent people. And he enjoyed it! I could never understand why he did it." He snarled. The expression on his face never changed. His handsome face was dull, but his voice full of passion,  
  
"So maybe it was because of my father that I was nasty to everyone. I had been taught that Mudbloods, Weasleys and Potters were horrible people, so that's how I reacted to meeting you and your friends. The very epitome of bad things. But can't you see that over the years that my view of him changed? I still hold him in high esteem but I'm completely disgusted that he can do those things. But the thing is, bad habits are hard to kick, and just because it was in my system to be mean to Muggleborns, Potters and Weasleys, I kept on doing it, long after I knew that it was still a bad thing to do. Sometimes I regretted what I did. Sometimes I tried to reason with myself, saying that it would be what my father wanted. So, as I said some time ago, I'm sorry." He finished, looking at me now, fire melting the ice in his eyes.  
  
All I wanted was to pull him down onto the armchair and give him all the love in the world, he looked so lost, so pained and so disappointed. I could've slapped myself for saying those words, words that had hurt him. It was true, I didn't know about his family, all I knew was that his father was a Death Eater.  
  
"I'm sorry too, I had no right to say those things. I - I didn't know." I whispered sympathy evident on my face.  
  
"Well now you do." He replied roughly, "Are you happy now?"  
  
I was silent and for once I couldn't find any words to express how I felt at the moment. I just pressed my lips firmly together and tried to force myself to smile at him. But I just couldn't. And now, realizing that time was going by fast, the pressure of making a decision was increasing. I put my hands to my head and squeezed my eyes tightly shut. It was a decision which could cost me my life.  
  
Then I slowly opened my eyes again and risked a look at Draco, I saw my indecisiveness reflected in his eyes and my confusion. At least he wasn't that angry with me anymore. I shook my head, I had no time to think about my feelings for him now, and I needed to reach a decision about my future.  
  
But time was running out. And we had no escape.  
Hey guys!  
  
This chapter was really tiring to write because I had to weave all the little parts of the story from the beginning to now into this chapter, to explain everything. I'm sorry if its confusing and I'm sorry that it's not very fluffy. My reason for that is that it WILL be fluffy later, there's plenty of time. But for now, let's deal with her problem! =)  
  
I'm sorry if most of this seems cliched haha, it's not my fault. But I hope you still find it interesting! There will be a lot of action coming up in the next few chapters, so stay tuned. Guess what? This chapter reached the 3000 word mark =) one of the longer chapters so far...  
  
Oh, and yes, thank you to all of my beautiful reviewers! =) you guys rock, you really make my day! Ah...so most you guys reckoned that Annika was bad news eh? That's good. You've been paying attention =) hehe well its nearly the end of the holidays here, but I swear I'll post another chapter soon!  
  
Love,  
  
psychohart 


	19. Reminiscence

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 19 - Reminiscence  
  
Disclaimer: No suing the poor girl who just wants to write a story. Alright, I don't own anything except for the plot and various characters. Fine. Just Annika then. =)  
  
A/N - I don't usually do this but I have to say something before the story starts. PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME HOW TO DO ITALICS AND BOLD! Its really annoying me now..grrr.. ah well, on with the story!  
Draco's POV  
  
I glanced at Hermione, she was sitting in the armchair with her head in her hands, muttering obscenities under her breath. Personally I knew what she was going through, the choice between good and evil, Darkness and Light, ah I was having trouble deciding too.  
  
She was biting those lips of hers and I felt that funny feeling in my heart again, pretty cliched eh? Here we are, stuck in the common room that brought us together, having to make the biggest decisions of our lives and I'm still thinking about my feelings for her.  
  
We could either pledge our loyalty to the Dark Lord or to die at his hands. Well, of course there was no guarantee that he would triumph, but who can deny that he is extremely powerful...  
  
"Draco?" whispered Hermione, still looking lost.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What are you thinking?"  
  
"About..?"  
  
"You know, Voldemort and ...Darkness, Light...gee, what else could we be thinking about at the moment?!" she exclaimed a bit hysterically.  
  
"Oh..right!" I said playfully, and for that I received a slap on my arm. I grinned cheekily at her and she blushed, sheepishly taking her hand away from my arm.  
  
"Well?" she said softly.  
  
"I...honestly don't know what to be thinking." Her eyes dulled at this and her shoulders sagged, "But, I'm working on it!" I added hastily and she managed a small smile.  
  
"I thought that you might have some idea on what to do, I mean with your family and -" she said before I cut her off.  
  
"This isn't about family, Hermione. Its about us, its our decision and its our lives that were putting on the line. Our family has nothing to do with it, we're Voldemort's heirs, not them." I said seriously making her look at me in surprise.  
  
"Sorry." She mumbled.  
  
I looked at my watch and realized that we only had an hour or so to decide...I tried to gather all my thoughts together but with every passing moment it was becoming harder to decide. Good or evil?  
  
I tried to imagine the consequences of joining the Dark side. Well, at least my family would be with me...not that that was a comfort. Hogwarts would fall, the wizarding world would be filled with Darkness..Voldemort would become too strong to defeat. It would become the death of Light. The very world I lived in would change, He would be at the centre of it and I would have to listen to His orders.  
  
Then I looked at Hermione and she was clearly thinking hard too. What would she choose? I knew that deep in my heart she would choose Light, she was brought up in a Muggle family, she was friends with Potter and Weasley and she was the epitome of pureness. What was stopping her from choosing it though?  
  
Her eyes met mine and in that second I knew that I wouldn't be able to bear it if she chose a different side to mine. I wouldn't be able to take it if I was fighting against her. I wouldn't be able to go through with being her enemy again. And then another thought raced through my head.  
  
She was holding back because of me.  
  
I thought back to what had happened leading up to now, the things that I had been through with her. What had brought us together anyway? I smiled as I realized that a lot had happened to us this year and it hadn't even been a term yet. Who would've ever thought that I, Draco Malfoy would be facing his future with Hermione Granger no - Lestrange?  
  
"You know, we've been through a lot together. Maybe not as much as you and Potter but still, its been a pretty rough term." I said carefully, voicing my thoughts.  
  
"Yeah, that's true. Remember when we had that mind connection at the beginning of all this?" she replied with a smile. I grinned back, of course I remembered. But it seemed so distant now.  
  
"And then that day when you ended up in the Hospital Wing. Man, I was so worried for you." I added, shaking my head.  
  
"You were the one who rescued me. I couldn't believe that you could do such a thing! I mean, when I realized I was in the Hospital Wing I thought that I had fainted and Harry or Ron had taken me there. But then when I next woke up I saw you next to me and then you told me that you had brought me there. I was so surprised! Oh, and I found something beside my bed that I think you dropped that day." She said timidly. She put her hand inside her pocket and pulled out a piece of ripped parchment.  
  
I looked at it numbly for a moment until I realized that it had my handwriting on it and that it was clearly torn from a journal of some sorts. My journal! God, the next moment it was wrenched from her grip and I had in my hand, furiously scanning what she had read.  
  
'I don't know what I'm thinking. Her face keeps on flashing in my mind and it's starting to haunt me, I have already spent a night tossing about, unable to rid that beautiful face from my memory. What is going to happen?! What if I begin to love her?! I sincerely hope not, that would be the most disastrous thing to happen, should Father find out. . .'  
  
"You had this all this time?" I choked out in a hoarse voice, a faint flush on my face. Had I already felt that way about her then?!  
  
"Yeah...I'm sorry I didn't give it back to you. I mean, we were still enemies then." she replied meekly.  
  
"But we aren't now right?" I said pointedly, holding her eyes in an intent gaze.  
  
"I don't think we are...not sure about you..." she trailed off tearing her eyes from my gaze. I smiled at her and I knew that she understood what I couldn't express in words because a smile graced her features too.  
  
"Did you know why I was in the Hospital Wing anyway?" she suddenly said.  
  
"No? Why?" I replied curiously.  
  
"It was because I had seen Voldemort in my mind. There was all this pain going through my body and he was speaking Parseltongue, Draco. And I had understood it! I was in a state of shock and I just really didn't know what was happening. He had told me that 'I would not be forgiven.' And as much as I wouldn't like to admit it, I was a bit intimidated by him." Her voice trembled as she remembered the ordeal.  
  
"Well, don't worry. He explained it all, every single gift that he had was passed on to us, so you shouldn't be too surprised that we can speak Parseltongue too. And its bullshit about you not getting forgiven, he didn't even know who you were then! But he does now, and he won't be hurting you anytime soon." I replied soothingly, moving closer to her.  
  
"I saw him again after I came out of the Hospital Wing." She whispered, turning her usually warm eyes onto me and continuing as though she hadn't heard me, "And that time I had heard your voice too...you were listening to his commands. You were a Death Eater too, Draco. Are you?"  
  
"Of course not! I don't have the Dark Mark." I pushed up the sleeves of my robes to show her my forearm, "See?"  
  
She nodded and let out a sigh of relief, "Thank god. But which side are you going to choose?"  
  
I bit my lip, not knowing what to say, "Well, I still don't know."  
  
"Time's running out. We have to choose soon." She said in a defeated voice. She looked away, I had never seen her acting so vague and at such a loss to what to do. So I tried to lighten the atmosphere.  
  
"Well, tell me if you remember all those incidents in the Prefect's Bathroom." I flashed her a wide grin as I said this and she smiled bashfully and her cheeks began to colour.  
  
"That first time you were such a pervert! Why didn't you tell me earlier that you were spying on me?!" she burst out with an indignant expression on her face.  
  
"I had my reasons.." I replied brazenly.  
  
"Oh and I never got to say sorry to you for my behaviour that night. I didn't mean to say all those things..." she murmured, "Did you know that I actually went back afterwards to check if you were still there?"  
  
"But I wasn't there. I was in here!" I exclaimed as I realized that it was that very night which I had found this place.  
  
"I followed the drops of blood that you left - "  
  
"And found me here?" I said eagerly.  
  
"No. It was by chance that I came in here."  
  
"Nah, but Voldemort said that nothing was ever by chance. We were fated to find this room, both of us." I replied upon remembering his words.  
  
Then we lapsed into silence as everything fitted together like a seamless puzzle. Everything that had brought us together was meant to be. So maybe me starting to fall for her was also meant to be...  
  
"I lost my necklace that night and you found it." Hermione said abruptly.  
  
"Yeah, that's right. But I gave it back to you." I replied slowly, not understanding why she was saying this.  
  
"There's just something about the necklace that I don't like now...it feels evil." She said cautiously.  
  
"Well, it was given by Voldemort to your mother, so it probably is evil." I reasoned, looking at her sympathetically. But I couldn't help thinking that it was quite entrancing to look at and it did mesmerize me.  
  
"Every time I wear it, I have bad dreams. It just seems that I was drawn to it the first time I saw it, but then when I had it, all these bad things happened." She continued to say, frowning. Then another voice interrupted.  
  
"Well, Miss Granger, or Lestrange if you would prefer, if you don't want that necklace, I'd be more than honoured to take it from you." Annika stepped out of the shadows and to my horror she had her wand out. There was malice in her eyes but it seemed as though her lilting voice had temporarily paralyzed Hermione.  
  
"What do you want, Annika?" I sneered through gritted teeth.  
  
"You." She moved forwards and I saw Hermione's eyes widen in shock. But she still wasn't able to move. It was as though she was under a spell, "But I wouldn't mind having the necklace too."  
  
As she passed Hermione, she threw her look of loathing and I couldn't understand where her hatred of Hermione had come from; she barely even knew the girl. When she reached me she put her hand to my cheek and let her fingers linger seductively. By instinct I quickly tried to move away but I found my legs cemented to the floor.  
  
Annika's smile widened. She had woven some type of spell on both of us, and I found that my anger at her was rising fast. She wasn't even faintly beautiful at this moment in time. I turned my face away from her so that her hand wasn't on my cheek anymore, then I turned back and looked at her furiously.  
  
"What have you done to us, you bitch?!" I snarled at her, "Where is Voldemort?"  
  
"Nothing. Just a simple Paralysis Charm on your bodies, I haven't hurt either of you in any sort of way. The Dark Lord is still attending to some business with Harry Potter. They seem to have gotten into a little fight again," she said lazily, she knew she had the upper hand now, and she wasn't afraid to use it.  
  
"He won't be here in time to save that wretched Gryffindor girl, I'm so sorry Draco, but I'm going to have to kill her." She continued and my eyes widened in shock and horror. Her wand was already pointed at Hermione. Oh, life was so cruel, I thought bitterly and I closed my eyes in anticipation, not wanting to witness the scene that I could not prevent. I whispered an apology to Hermione in my mind and I tried to block out the image of her lying on the ground with no sign of life in her. But the words that I had thought I was going to hear never came.  
  
I opened my eyes in surprise.  
Hey everyone,  
  
I actually have like a bit of the next chapter written =) so I'll try and get it up soon.. I was going to make this chapter longer, but then I'm sort of swamped with homework cause its nearly exams here, so I had to cut it short there.  
  
I hope that you guys liked it, I'm sorry that it was kinda dull, I just had to make them kinda go over some things, its just part of the plot. But now that most things have been cleared up with Hermione n' Draco, the plot will thicken. Yay =)  
  
Next chapter will be their choices, so stay tuned!  
  
Thanks to all my beautiful reviewers, you guys really keep me going! If there's anything that you guys are a bit confused about, don't hesitate to ask because I'll clear it up for you.  
  
I think that's it for now. Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my story, I'm really grateful, even to the silent readers out there.  
  
Cheers!  
  
psychohart 


	20. Kismet

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 20 - Kismet  
  
Disclaimer: The usual.  
Hermione's POV  
  
I saw Draco close his eyes and turn his face away from me and I felt as though it was the end for me. I was going to be killed by that ruthless girl that I despised and I nearly wept with the cruelty of it all. I braced myself and looked at Annika defiantly, not wanting to be a coward in the face of death.  
  
But to my greatest surprise, she didn't say anything remotely resembling a curse. She even lowered her wand and instead met my gaze with a gentle expression on her face. She seemed intent on making my death a drawn out and agonizing experience, riddled with mind games.  
  
"Did you know that you have everything that I have ever wished for, Hermione? You were born into a powerful Dark family, faithful servants of the Dark Lord and you were His heir. The one of the two that He prized above all others. All the power that He had inside Him, lived inside you too." She paused here, letting her gaze travel all over my body in a critical gaze,  
  
"I am an ambitious person, I don't deny that. I have worked for Voldemort since I was in 3rd year at Dourliwood and I lived for the day, which He would promote me to be one of the highest ranking of His service. I was a very loyal and useful follower of his, there was none as devoted as I was. In a time which all of his other supporters had shunned Him, I stayed by His side. He loved me, beauty was one thing that He had been deprived of in His quest for power and I was like a breath of fresh air to Him. He could not live without me, I discovered delightfully. But there was just one thing that stopped me from being his successor."  
  
"The fact that you have absolutely no intelligence except for your cunning and slyness?" taunted Draco, anger evident in his voice, "There was a reason that you weren't born as His heir. And that's because you weren't as smart as Hermione is."  
  
"You take me for a fool, Draco. You are blinded by your love for her, her intelligence was a gift to her from the Dark Lord, not a natural ability. There is one gift I have that she doesn't, and that's charm. That and seduction seem to run in my family, its quite uncanny." She replied smoothly to Draco's outburst. He scowled and threw me commiserating look. I smiled grimly back at him. But then all of a sudden I realized a strange fact.  
  
"Debauche.." I breathed, "Isn't that another word for seduce?" Why hadn't I noticed that earlier?  
  
Annika smiled at this and laughed her melodious, clear and ringing laugh that had haunted me for awhile. She looked at me, mirth twinkling in her luminous eyes.  
  
"So, you have logic and wit in you too, Hermione. The Dark Lord was gracious to give you so much knowledge. But it is not your knowledge that I want the most, it is that necklace that you loathe." I gasped at that and on instinct stubbornly held the pendant tightly in my hand as I heard her say the charm, "Accio necklace!"  
  
Immediately it was as though there was an invisible force field that repelled Annika so that she went flying in the opposite direction hitting the hard stone wall with a large thud and then sliding down to the ground lifelessly.  
  
"I had warned you before that the necklace was no ordinary one. It is a talisman, Annika. It wards off Hermione's enemies and protects her even when she is unaware that she is with an enemy. I could not ever let my heir leave my sight without some kind of security around her." Drawled Voldemort as he Apparated out of thin air.  
  
Annika was weakly lifting her head and her eyes were sliding in and out of focus as a slow trickle of blood came down from her scalp. There had obviously been a blow to her head as she had hit the wall. She mumbled a few incoherent words before seemingly collapsing into unconsciousness. Voldemort muttered a spell that carried her to an armchair and left her there.  
  
"How.. how did you Apparate in here?" I asked wondrously, "There are all sorts of charms and enchantments placed on Hogwarts preventing that."  
  
"My power is now far greater than Dumbledore's, so great that I can undo any spell that he does. He is no match for me." Voldemort stated plainly, before continuing, "Did Annika try to hurt you while I was gone?"  
  
"She tried to take the necklace from her. And she placed a Paralysis Charm on both of us so that we couldn't stop her." Answered Draco for me. He was clearly still furious about it.  
  
"Is that so?" said Voldemort thoughtfully. He pointed his wand at me and then muttered something under his breath and instantly I felt as though an undetectable net had been taken away from me. He did the same thing to Draco and by the look on his face he was feeling just as relieved as I was.  
  
"Now, do you think that Annika deserves to be punished for this type of behaviour?" asked Voldemort silkily, I shivered at the menace that shined in his red eyes.  
  
I grimaced. I had no idea what I had to do, or had to say to this. I glanced at Annika, she was still unconscious and lying spiritlessly on the armchair, her beautiful features marred by the blood still steadily trickling down her cheek. My heart went out to her, despite all the things that she had put me through. That little scheming, sly, servant of the Dark Lord had hated me from day one and had tried her best to subtly make my life hell. Had she really intended to seduce Draco to drive me crazy?  
  
This was no time to wonder about trivial things like that though, Voldemort was still looking at me and Draco expectantly. Under his piercing gaze, I felt as though the layers of my soul were being stripped away by him, piece by piece. It was a horrifying experience, he seemed to look into the innermost, private and strictly confidential parts of me and I began to perspire under the pressure of it all.  
  
"Answer me!" He demanded his voice harsh and so very different to the calm, gentle tone he had used before. That did it, I was completely intimidated by him, he scared the hell out of me and I was one of the people that he was less likely to be killing.  
  
"I don't think that it is a fair punishment if you torture her while she is unconscious, my Lord. She might not even be able to feel the pain. I think that it is more proper if you wake her up first." Stated Draco coldly. I looked at him in total shock. What had he just said?! When had he turned so heartless? After all, he was the one who had been spending so much of his time with her instead of me...  
  
Anyway, that was beside the point, I reminded myself. I met Draco's icy gaze and felt chilled to the bone at the pools of emotionless silver that I was greeted with. There was none of the warmth that I had seen before we had gotten tangled in this Dark business, before Annika, before he began to ignore me...  
  
"And what's your view on this, Hermione?" asked the Dark Lord coolly.  
  
I chanced another sidelong glance at Annika before finally speaking up. It was so against my nature to be saying this but I guess this was going to be just the beginning of a lot of these merciless situations.  
  
"I..agree with Draco. It wouldn't be fair to leave her asleep while she is tortured." Inwardly I sighed with relief as I finished my sentence. Thank god I hadn't let my voice waver at all, it had come out just as pitiless as I had intended it to sound. I didn't want Him to doubt me for even one second or I would be dead in flash. Literally.  
  
"Very well then. I'm pleased that my heirs have assumed the same way of thinking, which is very intriguing. So, now as we have agreed, I will wake her from her sleep and give her the reward that she deserves for disobeying my orders." Announced Voldemort with malice evident in his voice. His red eyes turned to Annika lying on the armchair and under his breath he muttered a spell to wake her up.  
  
A moment later she was awake and clearly dazed and confused disoriented from her unconsciousness. I felt a sharp wrench at my heart as I realized that in a few minutes, she would be dead. What on earth was I doing?! Why was I agreeing with Draco and Voldemort? She was only an innocent girl blindly following her Master. She didn't deserve to die right?  
  
'Oh yes she does, if we don't kill her, she'll kill you.' I gasped and looked at Draco in pure shock. Was that his voice in my head again? He gazed back at me with meaningfulness in his eyes. It was his voice. Our mind connection was again alive.  
  
'Hermione, you don't know what she's capable of. She must be pretty powerful if Voldemort lets her to work for him as a spy, after all how many 3rd year girls does he allow to join his ranks? Don't forget that she works on a person's mind, games are her specialty. She won't stop until she's got the necklace and killed you. We have to get rid of her.' Draco's voice was more persistent now but my attention was suddenly divided between his voice and what Voldemort was doing to Annika.  
  
"Crucio." There was His cold voice again. I watched as Annika let out whimpers of pain and crumpled to the floor in agony. I looked back at Draco helplessly. What did he expect me to do?! Suddenly the Dark Lord turned His eyes on me and let out a pitiless laugh. He was enjoying the pain He was inflicting on His devoted servant and by the look on Draco's face, I could tell that he was enjoying it too.  
  
Oh god. They were mental, maniacal and merciless, I didn't stand a chance against them if I decided to disagree. Even if Draco came to his senses, it wouldn't be enough to protect me should Voldemort change His mind and kill me, after all the necklace only repelled my enemies, and I would think that Voldemort had made sure that even if I thought that He was an enemy, the necklace would do nothing to stop Him.  
  
What was I going to do?! There was no way out, I was no closer to reaching a decision than I was three hours ago and Draco's sudden change did nothing to help me. Annika was still writhing on the ground in pain and I was so clueless.  
  
"Stop!" I cried as Annika let out a piercing scream. I was amazed that no one outside these walls had realized that we were in here, but its fascinating what a little good magic can do. Voldemort and Draco both turned to me in surprise and He immediately stopped the curse. Annika lay on the ground trying to catch her breath and steady herself. It was as though time was moving in slow motion and what I would say next would change the whole course of history. It was such a heavy burden that I was carrying on my shoulders and I was so nervous.  
  
"Hermione?" asked Draco timidly, looking strangely at me. The Dark Lord followed his gaze and bestowed his two slits of eyes on me.  
  
"I think we should put her out of her misery." I started off slowly, and Annika looked up at me with astonishment but I ignored her, "I think that you should just kill her."  
  
Voldemort's thin lips curled up into a malicious smile as I said my last words and I was mentally regretting what I had allowed him to do. He nodded approvingly and moved forward to place his skeletal arms around my shoulder causing me to tense up against him.  
  
"It was a hard decision for you, wasn't it Hermione?" said Voldemort knowingly. I was so afraid that He still doubted me. But then he smiled again and squeezed my shoulders, "But luckily you made the right choice. I'm proud to call you my heir." I let out a sigh of relief. I had passed His test.  
  
As soon as He had let go of me He pointed his wand at Annika who was trying to back away from us and I heard an insane cackle leave Voldemort's mouth as he cast the ultimate Unforgivable curse. A flash of green and Annika was lying on the ground once again, her face bore an expression of petrifaction and her eyes were open and glassy, filled with horror.  
  
I could only imagine that the expression that was on my face was the same, judging by the look that Draco was giving me. He moved closer to me and placed his strong arms comfortingly around me and whispered soothingly into my ears,  
  
"You'll get over it, don't worry. It shocked me the first time too, but it becomes less gruesome. You made the right decision so don't feel bad about yourself. It wasn't your fault, she brought it on herself by trying to take your place. It was your life or hers. You did the right thing, Hermione. Stay strong."  
  
If only I could actually take his words to heart. It was too hard, I had just killed a person, however indirectly I had caused her death. How could Draco just expect me to 'get over it'?! She had life, she was human and even though her intentions were bad, at one stage in her life she was just like me, innocent and naïve. I moved out of his embrace and tried to smile up at him. He didn't understand, he never would, that's why we could still listen to each other's thoughts. Our past just had to come back and bite us right in our butts at this crucial time. How ironic.  
  
"Now that we have disposed of that highly unfaithful servant, shall we go on with what I had intended to do here?" asked Voldemort suavely and to that I nodded, not trusting myself with my voice, "What are your choices, my dear heirs?"  
  
"I choose to pledge my allegiance to you, my Lord." Said Draco in an assured voice. Voldemort laughed and clasped Draco's hand in his spindly one.  
  
"I never doubted you, Draco. I knew you would come back to my side sooner or later." Said Voldemort surely. Draco looked puzzled at this but quickly he resumed his usual emotionless expression. Voldemort continued on and I knew that the moment of judgement had come for me, however dramatic that sounds.  
  
"And you, Hermione? Which do you choose, Darkness or Light?" he asked lightly as though this was the most normal thing in the world to be asking. I took another look at Draco and felt a tug at my heart. Everything was pointing towards Darkness for me, there was no denying that but as I thought of Ron and Harry I couldn't help but feel an obligation towards them no matter what my destiny, fate or kismet was.  
  
I stood still for a moment, with my confused thoughts racing through my head. Draco had chosen Darkness, but that didn't mean I had to follow him right? But then a nagging voice in the back of my head made me remember something that confused me even more.  
  
Hadn't Draco said that he would never bow down to someone more powerful than him? Hadn't he said that he wanted to rich and respected without being evil? I could distinctly remember that time when I had angered him by trying to probe into his mind like that but it comforted me to know that maybe Draco hadn't changed as much as I thought he did.  
  
He was up to something; I was sure of that. Anyway, he made me feel safe. It was a risk I willing to take. I snuck another glance at him before opening my mouth and meeting my destiny.  
  
"I choose Darkness, my lord." I stated evenly, looking Him straight in the eye. He smiled at me again and I was beginning to wonder if He had the capacity to kill me after all. He seemed so kind to me. He hadn't harmed me in any way at all. It was as though I was precious to Him. As I was pondering that He had moved forward and taken my hand in His, I felt a gentle tickling sensation in my palm and as He let go, I gasped at what was on my palm now.  
  
A black star.  
  
What had I gotten myself into?  
Hey everybody!  
  
Alright don't chuck rotten tomatoes at me for this crappy chapter =P it wasn't my fault, I swear! Lol, well see I told you that Draco and Hermione were gonna make their decisions in this chapter, oh and sorry for the one week wait.  
  
Ok, for the next 2 weeks I doubt I'll be able to get my next chapter up because of exam revision so how about just coming back to the story in 2 weekend's time? I promise I'll have a chapter up by then ok?  
  
Oh, and thanks to everyone who reviewed! Please continue to do so [only if you want to that is.. I wouldn't ever want to force anyone to review..] haha, well if you have any trouble understanding my story, don't hesitate to tell me about it, I'll be happy to clear everything up.  
  
Oh, and on the topic of clearing things up, what Hermione was going through in this chapter was indecisiveness. She feels as though she's part of both sides, she was brought up as a Muggle and she had been by Harry's side for all these years, fighting against Voldemort. But then He turns up and tells her that she's His heir so she's very confused. Especially since Draco's part of all this =P  
  
Well, hopefully everyone's happy at the way that this chapter turned out =)  
  
Love,  
  
psychohart 


	21. Lost Treasures

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 21 - Lost Treasures  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, ah.. It just hasn't been the same since Annika died =P  
  
Draco's POV - [at the time before Hermione's choice]  
  
I hoped against hope that she would choose Darkness as well, she seemed to be thinking hard and it was clear that she was confused. I had tried to break through the barrier now closing our minds off to each other and tell her my thoughts but it seemed as though right now I wouldn't be able to control my power at will and read her thoughts at any time I wanted.  
  
I tried to make her look at me, by staring at her intently but her eyes never left Voldemort's face. What was I going to do if the Dark Lord didn't like her decision?! Somewhere in my heart I knew that she felt obligation towards the Light side more than the Dark side and there was nothing I could do to stop her from thinking that, but now that I had given Him my choice, I couldn't turn back.  
  
The dreaded Black Star was on my palm and that signified my status and also the fact that I was Lord Voldemort's follower. Somehow I didn't want Hermione to go through the same process but I knew that it was inevitable if we wanted to survive. Suddenly I thought of something that I hadn't thought of before. Why hadn't my father told me that I was Voldemort's heir? Wouldn't I have brought pride to his face? Made his reputation among the Death Eaters much better?  
  
But I had no time to ponder about insignificant things like that, I snapped back to reality and looked at Hermione once again, trying to figure out what she was thinking.  
  
What if she really chose Light? What would I do then? What if He killed her?! What if I had to fight against her...again? Argh! Stop playing 'what if' Draco! I told myself sternly and I tried to focus my thoughts. Maybe I could try, just once again to tell her that this was all an act and that I didn't really intend to stay on the Dark side.  
  
I saw her eyes flicker to where I was standing and I tried to send her a glance that would tell her all that she needed to know but she had already turned away from me. Then she spoke.  
  
"I choose Darkness, my lord." She said in a level voice. Her face hid turmoil of emotions and I was proud of her, she had managed to get her feelings under control and her body language betrayed nothing. Thank god she hadn't taken the fool's way out, as Potter would've done. She gave me a meaningful glance that told me that she knew that I had something up my sleeve. I grinned, maybe she knew me better than I thought.  
  
Lord Voldemort strode forward and clasped her hand in His skeletal one, pale and withered. Her skin seemed to glow, as I knew that He had administered the Black Star onto her palm. She drew her hand away and looked at her palm disbelievingly, firstly in shock and then horror.  
  
"Yes, I knew that you would like it, Hermione. It's actually relatively pretty compared to the Dark Mark, isn't it? I would never give you that, the Dark Mark is actually quite vulgar. Especially for a young girl like you, no I couldn't ever bring myself to give it to you, the Black Star does the job quite well anyway. It's a symbol of my power and at any time that I should want to call either you or Draco to my side, I shall place my finger on it and it will immediately give both of you a burning sensation on your palms." Said the Dark Lord grandly.  
  
Hermione gave me a barely disguised look of disgust and I held out my own palm in response. Her beautiful eyes widened in surprise and she seemed to be regretting her decision, no doubt she didn't know that the Black Star was involved in the process, Voldemort only gave it to his most devoted supporters such as Barty Crouch and even the Lestranges had it as well. But only a precious few people had it and in the Dark community, it was a great honour.  
  
"What business were you attending to with Harry Potter, my lord?" I asked cautiously, breaking the tentative silence in the room. Hermione's eyes flew to me as I asked that question and I could tell she was anxious and worried about what He would say.  
  
"Oh, it was nothing much, I was just seeking out where he was now and it seems as though he got frightened of me in his dormitory and tried to hurl a few curses at me. Of course, none of them did any damage, Hermione don't look so horrified. Is your opinion of that idiot still that high? So high that you think that he could ever hurt Lord Voldemort?" asked Voldemort dangerously, His eyes narrowing to slits. Thank god He had misread Hermione's emotions, she obviously was worried for Potter. I sent her sharp look and she hastily made up an excuse.  
  
"No, my lord. I know that your power is very great and that - "  
  
"Quiet. I don't want to listen any longer to those lies, if you are really going to be my heir, then you should act like it! You must be loyal to me, and if your loyalty should really stray.." Voldemort let the sentence hanging in the silence. He grinned maliciously. Then I realized that He had manipulated us into choosing Darkness, without either of us knowing it! He was surely very cunning and I realized that whatever show of kindness that He had displayed to us was very misleading. The look in His eyes told me that if we turned on Him, He wouldn't hesitate to kill us.  
  
Even if we were His own.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
I felt Draco's worried stare on my back, sure enough when I turned around he was looking quite anxious. I hoped that I could talk to him privately soon, though I wasn't too sure what the Dark Lord had in store for us, now that we had both gone to His side. Chills ran down my spine as He spoke again.  
  
"We should get going now, my dear heirs. If we dither around Hogwarts any longer I'm afraid there will a huge scene to witness, which I would not like to have to do. We are wasting precious time in this mess of a place anyway, we should get back to my new found base." He said nonchalantly, motioning for Draco and me to come closer to Him. He continued on giving me an inquisitive look.  
  
"You should be pleased to note that the base that I have found is the rebuilt remains of your parents' estate in Kent, Hermione. I have returned all the once ruined articles in the house back to their former glory. Including such sentimental things such as photo albums..." He smiled with His thin lips before muttering under his breath a Transporting Spell which took all three of us to a place that I knew where we would be completely out of reach of Dumbledore. We could only rely on our wits now. He still had our wands.  
  
As the world stopped swirling in a dirty big mass of colour, I found myself struggling to stand straight on the grand entrance of a luxurious mansion, whereas both Draco and Voldemort landed with catlike grace and were standing calmly looking at me with amusement written on their faces. I quickly regained my balance and stood as poised as my dignity would allow me.  
  
'It wasn't my fault that I wasn't born with grace.' I thought angrily to myself, coolly looking back at Draco who looked at me patronizingly. I could already see the shadow of a smirk threatening to form and the moonlight that shone softly on his handsome face nearly made me lose my composure and run to him to find solace in his embrace.  
  
'But that isn't going to happen anytime soon.' I told myself firmly, trying to focus on the dilemma we had found ourselves in. The heirs of Voldemort who had pledged allegiance to the Dark side but were actually attempting to return to the Light side. At least that's what I hoped we were doing. What if Draco really did intend to stay with Voldemort? What if I didn't understand him enough to figure out his intentions? Then I would definitely be dead. I needed to talk to him alone soon. My wandering thoughts were sharply jerked back to reality as Voldemort spoke in a wintry voice.  
  
"This is your reestablished family mansion, Hermione. Perhaps you would like to reenter it and begin to explore your fascinating roots; I've been told you're very eager to learn. And the history of your family will interest you as well and maybe you might see fit to even meet the rest of the Death Eaters who also reside here now."  
  
I gasped. This was my old home? Yes, I had a beautiful terrace for a home back in Canterbury but...that was nothing compared to this..absolutely gorgeous spacious castle-like mansion. I looked around and saw that a soft chandelier hanging elegantly from the high ceiling lighted the entrance foyer and the long corridor that seemed to be lit with lighted candles on the walls.  
  
I turned around a bit more and saw a grand staircase not unlike those in fairy tales and a few other corridors leading to various other places in the mansion. It gave me the idea that the mansion wasn't just spacious, it was filled with glamorous libraries, studies, bedrooms and other rooms used for other purposes. I nearly squealed with delight! This was like something out of a dream, to find that my home was a superb mansion in Kent that had all that I ever wanted and needed..ah, it seemed a lot like Hogwarts actually, except definitely more refined and exquisite.  
  
It gave me a warm feeling to realize that this was my home, my real home, even if it belonged to Dark wizards. But the cold hand that suddenly rested on my shoulder jolted me back to reality and I realized with dread that it was indeed a place of evil, even if the surroundings were so ornate. How could I be so easily disillusioned into thinking that the Dark side didn't matter just as long as I still owned this mansion?!  
  
And I would never own it and turn it into a place of good. Because the Dark Lord would triumph and even if my parents - the Lestranges were set free and allowed back into the wizarding world, I would never go back to them because I was on the Light side... but it seemed so far away now...couldn't I just let myself revel in this beautiful place for now?  
  
I shook my head. What was I doing?! Evil reverberated off these very walls, how could I ever hope to be at one here?! I sighed. My mind was becoming clouded and I had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with Voldemort. Perhaps he was trying to deceive me into thinking that evil was beautiful and good thing, because he knew I was sentimental.  
  
But I had no time to dwell on that because He had already taken His cold hand off my shoulder and called for one of His servants to greet us. As the servant came scurrying in I immediately recognized him. I wouldn't miss him anywhere. It was none other than -  
  
"Snape!" Both Draco and I exclaimed. Somehow it was a relief to see him here, a familiar face among the evil. Deep inside me I knew that he was working for Dumbledore, but I did not know if that was still the case. Sometimes a person just will never change. Maybe he was a double-crosser; first he betrayed Voldemort to work for Dumbledore but then he betrayed Dumbledore to work for Voldemort! I knew that he had enough 'traitor' in him to do that. But I chuckled inwardly. There was one of those crazy thoughts I had again. Snape wouldn't do that to break Dumbledore's trust right?..  
  
'He wouldn't betray him. Trust me, Hermione.' Came a voice. Instinctively I knew it was Draco. I felt a little more assured at this and it brought a smile to my face to know that he could still hear my thoughts. Maybe that would be a good thing in this place, so that we wouldn't even have to talk and we would know what to do. We should really learn how to harness this power.  
  
"Good evening Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger - " Snape began before he was smoothly interrupted by Voldemort.  
  
"Miss Lestrange." He said bluntly. Snape looked back at Voldemort with astonishment. He was clearly not familiar with this piece of information. As I saw his beady eyes dart to me and stay there, looking at me raptly but not unkindly, before looking back to Voldemort, I got a sense of the feeling that Harry must have every time someone looked at him and then his scar.  
  
"Hermione is their child? She's the heir?!" he said skeptically.  
  
"Why yes of course, Severus. Do you think that I am foolish enough not to recognize my own heirs?" stated Voldemort icily, giving Snape a piercing look.  
  
"No, my lord it is I who can not digest this information...she can not be!" he burst out.  
  
"And why not?" asked Draco curtly. Snape looked at him briefly and then grimaced. He looked as though there was something troubling him.  
  
"No.. I just can not believe that she is The One." Said Snape quietly. I felt a little miffed at being called The One. It sounded like I was a myth or a legend.  
  
"And why can you not believe that, Severus? Hermione is a girl of exceptional talent and ability. There is no rival to her, in her knowledge or in her skill. Except for Draco perhaps. And even then, he can not surpass her in some things. This is fate, and since it is, you should have little to doubt, Severus." His voice was haunting. I could tell that it intimidated Snape too because he immediately became silent and shrank into the long corridor.  
  
"Now, Hermione and Draco you shall be lead to your rooms by Severus. I purposely chose him as I knew you would both be familiar with him already and I wanted to help you both adapt to your new environments more quickly." Said Voldemort in a much warmer voice than the stern one he had with Snape.  
  
"I am touched by your thoughtfulness, my lord." I said with a shy smile.  
  
'Being sweet and less suspicious starts now, Hermione.' I told myself resignedly.  
  
"I hope that you will both like your rooms. I picked them out for both of you especially. Sleep well tonight for we will have a lot to discuss tomorrow morning." He replied with a smile on his lips too. I shuddered inwardly. But I forced myself to maintain my sugary smile.  
  
"Good night, my lord." I said softly before going to stand with Snape who grunted dismissively as I smiled at him too. Behind me I heard Draco bidding Voldemort a good night too. And I felt his stare on my back as he walked towards the corridor where Snape and I were standing.  
  
"Hey Hermione." He said gently, touching my arm for a fleeting moment.  
  
"Hey Draco." I replied grinning at him. He smirked as he heard Snape's discreet cough behind us.  
  
"I think that we should begin to head to your sleeping quarters now, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger. Please follow me." Said Snape in his usual tone of voice and I could tell that Draco also felt a bit more relaxed in the company of someone who both knew well. And it was intriguing that he didn't call me Miss Lestrange. Perhaps it was because he had something to hide that made him uncomfortable calling me Miss Lestrange.  
  
He led us down the long corridor that I had seen before and up a small staircase nowhere near as grand as the one in the entrance foyer, but was still carved with intricate designs. We weaved through a maze of corridors and staircases and I was easily reminded of the lost feeling that I had on the first day of school at Hogwarts. Thank god that there were no trick steps or moving staircases or moving armour around here!  
  
When we finally arrived on a pretty feminine seeming corridor that was covered in a wallpaper of roses that really had a fragrance, Snape led us to a door that looked especially dainty.  
  
"This is your room, Hermione." He said with a smirk on his sallow face. Draco had a similar smirk on his face and I rolled my eyes at him.  
  
"Its not my fault Voldemort thinks that I'm really girly." I said grumpily.  
  
"No, no I think that it really suits you." Replied Draco with a straight face before he burst out laughing with a good-natured expression on his face. Snape nodded snidely beside him. I threw them both a cold look before opening the door.  
  
It revealed a breathtaking room completely covered with white linen, white cushions, and white furniture all with a trace of silver around the edges of it. Looking more closely at the walls I realized that it had been tinted with a bit of light blue I looked like I had stepped into a room full of clouds. It looked so heavenly and I couldn't believe that this room was really mine...  
  
I turned to Draco and Snape still standing outside my door.  
  
"Well, good night!" I said cheerily, closing the white mahogany door quickly. I heard their 'tuts' of mock anger as well as Draco remarking to Snape,  
  
"I hope Voldemort really does buy her 'sweet' act. Then we'll be guaranteed a bit more safety around here. If He ever finds out what we're intending to do...then I'll bet that none of us will make it out of here alive. Well that is without the problem of Hermione being too attached to her room and all.."  
  
They both chuckled and I felt a sense of security in the fact that Draco really was up to something, something to help us get out of here...not that I really wanted to of course.it really was a lovely place. Never in my dreams had I imagined that a Dark place would be so comforting and beautiful.  
  
I sighed with pleasure as I explored my room, seeing a charming bookcase filled with books next to a delicate table filled with pens and parchment not to mention a nice lamp that illuminated the room so well that I was sure of its magical origins. The plush rug that covered the floor underneath my feet was so soft and the view that the French doors that opened out onto a small balcony was quite dazzling.  
  
The last few things in this roomy place was a large armchair that reminded me of the armchairs in the secret common room except that it was white, with a hint of blue to it too and a feathery soft bed that I collapsed on happily. I sank down in it and I looked at the ceiling thinking about how far from Hogwarts I was.  
  
But I couldn't say that I was not happy to be here or anything...on the contrary I was relatively content to stay here for quite awhile..my parents' home...my home... I mused silently.  
  
Suddenly I felt quite shabby and dirty from all the things that I went through today, and with a start I realized that it was only this morning that Ron and Harry had questioned me on my strange behaviour lately. They would be missing me right about now. And I missed then too, but I hoped that they would not worry for me too much, because I wasn't harmed at all.  
  
It was already so late in the night, almost midnight now but I felt strangely calm and not yet sleepy. I slipped into the bathroom adjoining my bedroom and I wasn't surprised at all to find that it was spotlessly clean and had a huge variety of nice smelling bath salts and shampoos etc. I took a quick shower and put on a nice fluffy bathrobe [white of course] and walked back out to my bedroom and went to the wardrobe that was in the far corner of the room.  
  
I opened it and gasped at what I saw. A whole rack of different pastel coloured robes, some like my black Hogwarts robes that I had worn and some more fitted dress robes. I had never seen such a large about of robes at once, not to mention the other Muggle clothing also in the wardrobe. I was astounded at the thoughtfulness of the person who had prepared this room.  
  
'I hope that you will both like your rooms. I picked them out for both of you especially.' Voldemort's words from before came echoing back and I felt a little uncomfortable at the fact that He knew me so well...but then something caught my eye. On my desk was a big thick book that had not been there before.  
  
I went over to the desk cautiously, picking up the book tentatively before realizing that the cover said "Lestrange Photo Album" in curly silver script. I slowly opened the book and saw a big portrait of grim looking couple with a baby cradled in the woman's arms.  
  
My parents.  
  
"Marc, Daniela and Hermione Lestrange." I read the caption below it out loud.  
  
My father, Marc looked particularly enigmatic but nevertheless he had a strong proud face that was not unpleasant to look at. My mother, Daniela had a petite frame and small porcelain face that made her look dainty, but she had a defiant tilt in her posture and she looked quite intimidating actually. But she still smiled at the camera with self assurance and that gave her more aura to her otherwise stern appearance.  
  
I gazed at my parents for what seemed like hours but when I looked at the clock set on the bedside table it was no more than 10 minutes. I still felt a pang at my heart, to know that my proud parents were locked up in Azkaban, even if they were Dark wizards. It didn't make a difference, they were still my parents and I flicked through the rest of the album, but I was disappointed to find that it stopped only after a few pages.  
  
There were no more pictures after a photo taken of me playing on a swing when I looked around the age of 1 and a half. Both of my parents had been laughing in a carefree manner then and I could not take my eyes off it. It looked so natural, we looked like such a happy family...so normal...no one would ever think that we would get caught up in the Dark world of Voldemort.  
  
That night I didn't sleep well, and I wept bitterly, letting the tears soak into my pillow, for the childhood that I never had and the parents that I never knew. Who knows, they might have been good parents, and life would have turned out much differently. Perhaps I could have helped them to the Light side, or if that didn't happen, maybe I would have known Draco for a much longer time and in a better way, probably without the rivalry that had been the base of our relationship for 5 long years...  
  
But that path of life is lost, and so are the treasures of time.  
  
Hey everyone!  
  
yaY! I finished a very very long chapter today! And I'm so proud of myself! So, what dya all think? It's a very 'explanatory' chapter and I hope you guys all like it.. I promise some more action next chapter, or the one after that. If there's no action next chapter then I promise you romance ok? =)  
  
Sorry for the wait between chapters...i've just been a little busy..but see I kept to my promise of updating on Saturday! Anyway, I just wanted to point out that in this chapter every seems to be a dream come true for Hermione eh? All those beautiful things and places...wow.. I wish I was there!  
  
Oh and just a note; did u realize that white meant purity and innocence? I did that purposely to show how innocent and pure Hermione is..hehehe, maybe next chapter I'll show you Draco's room...you never kno =P  
  
Well, I have decided to reply to the reviews I've got, seeing as I've got the time... oh and btw thanks so much for everyone who reviewed! I really love it when I get reviews...so motivating!  
  
Swimmerkitti - alright, just to clear up the pains that Hermione got at the beginning of the year, they were the pains that Voldemort gave her for wearing the necklace that he had given to his heir. He had thought that she was just some Mudblood that found it and was trying to get her to get rid of it, but then later on he realized that she wasn't just 'some Mudblood'!  
  
FoxyChic4u - thanks so much for continuing support, man you always brighten up my day by reviewing so much =) and it's all positive stuff too!!  
  
Meg - I'm not gonna spoil anything for you guys but..lets just say I'm working on making it more.Light... =)  
  
Kiyoko - I'm so sorry! ~ ducks from tomatoes ~ I promise I'll get them outta this dark place soon! ~ starts to dig ~ ;)  
  
Sam - well I'm glad that someone is enjoying the evilness..but hey, this chapter is turning out to be a little less evil eh? I hope you still like it tho =)  
  
EgyptianQueen17 - does this satisfy the suspense that I put you through??? Hehehe hopefully it does =) oh and its good that you feel sympathy for Annika coz you know, she's human too...even if she's a ..anyway, thanks for reviewing!  
  
Lisa, violetkat22 - wow, both of you reckon that this ain't too mary-suish or like too romantic or like its all about their 'romance' and not enough action? =) I'm so happy to hear that! No offence but I really don't like those stories that have absolutely no plots, and its all about the "lurve" I mean, that's sweet and all but I get so sick of them..its good to combine action with love. That's what I think. But everyone's entitled to their own opinions, and I still admire those who write good stories, even if its all mush.  
  
So, everyone thank you all for supporting me [yes, even the silent readers =)]  
  
Cheers!  
  
psychohart 


	22. Innocent Eyes

Never Say Never  
  
Chapter 22 - Innocent Eyes  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the hopefully good plot =P  
  
A/N - thank you so much HarryPotterWanter for telling about the bold and the italics!  
  
Draco's POV  
  
We left the corridor that Hermione's room was on and proceeded to go down another flight of stairs before turning right again onto a darker hallway that was navy blue with grey splashes here and there. It didn't look too bad and I wasn't too surprised that Voldemort had made this mansion so lavish, after all if you could weld such powerful magic, why not put it to good use?  
  
Snape continued to lead me down the corridor but he was slowing down so I assumed I was going to be staying in one of the rooms near here. We hadn't spoken a word since we had left Hermione at her new room but it wasn't an awkward silence that hung in the air, it was more of a silence that showed that neither of us wanted to talk.  
  
But, I did have something that I was itching to ask him and so when we arrived at my new abode I broke the silence and invited him to stay for awhile in my room. He reluctantly accepted and as I opened the door my eyes feasted on the extravagant furnishings that rivaled the Malfoy Manor.  
  
There was a large forest green four poster bed in the centre of the room next to the wall, a grand black oak desk and quite curiously a plush deep marine coloured armchair not unlike the one I glimpsed in Hermione's room. They had been seemingly placed there to remind us of the common room back in Hogwarts.  
  
I let my eyes explore the rest of the room and saw that I had a nice bay window seat that had velvety cushions that would provide me with a peaceful spot to mull some things over and I guessed that the view from the window would also be spectacular during the daytime.  
  
I stood there admiring my new room for a few more moments before coming to my senses and gestured for Snape to sit on the bay window seat while I took the armchair and turned it to face him. He gave me an inquisitive look, as though wondering what I could possibly be asking him at this time and place.  
  
"Professor Snape, I would like to ask you a question." I began slowly, giving him time to nod his assent.  
  
"Well, I was listening to your conversation with the Dark Lord about Hermione, and I heard you calling her The One. Why did you call her that? What is 'The One'?" I asked quietly. His face immediately paled and if possible, became more sallow. He grimaced before beginning to speak to me in a dull voice.  
  
"I don't think that it is my place to tell you this Draco. But, I suppose that you'll have to know sometime or another, after all you have a part to play in this too.." He sighed heavily and this sparked my curiousity further.  
  
"Hermione is called "The One" simply because she has been mentioned in an ancient prophecy, where a powerful lord has an heir whose blood runs true in them and becomes even more powerful than the lord himself. This witch is Hermione." Said Snape quietly. But I was still nonplussed and asked him a question.  
  
"So? How do you know if the heir isn't me? Does it have to be Hermione?"  
  
"In the prophecy it states that The One is to become the most powerful witch in Wizarding history. Her powers will surpass even the Dark Lord himself, and He knows that. Which is why He seeks to keep her safe and well protected now, but yet after the birth of the child He will immediately kill her in her vulnerable, weakened state after childbirth. He knows that He can not afford to let her live. She is the only one that can truly defeat the Dark Lord." Finished Snape bitterly.  
  
My mind went back to the time that Voldemort had said to Hermione:  
  
"I warn you. If you decide to return to the Light side, then you have forsaken your true destiny, to become the most powerful witch in history."  
  
Coupled with this information that Snape had just given me, the prospect of Voldemort harming Hermione was becoming more and more imminent.  
  
"I don't understand Professor. What child?! Whose child?! Why is Voldemort going to kill one of His precious heirs?!" I exclaimed angrily.  
  
"Why Draco, it will obviously be your child.." Answered Snape archly. I looked back at him, with a flabbergasted expression on my face. My child?! Me and Hermione..?! But we were only 17.  
  
"Professor, but, we're only - "  
  
"Don't question the Fates, Draco. It has been foreseen in the prophecy that such thing will happen, that Voldemort's two heirs will produce a last heir who will succeed the Dark Lord. Rest assured, Draco that you will not be a Dark Lord, but rather the father of one. He will be extremely powerful, even more so than the Dark Lord for he will have pure powerful wizarding blood in him, from the Dark Lord through his parents being the heirs, as well as Lestrange and Malfoy blood." Explained Snape amusedly. I squirmed uncomfortably; Voldemort was going to kill Hermione?! I just couldn't comprehend it.  
  
"But Professor, is there anyway to stop this?! Hermione can't ." I trailed off lamely.  
  
"No. There is no way of stopping the Fates." Replied Snape gravely. He wore a mask of regret on his face and for once I realized that he cared for Hermione as well, knowing that she was just an innocent person caught up in this Dark world. His disdain for her had clearly evaporated as he realized her true identity; and was replaced with sympathy and remorse.  
  
"We could try and destroy Voldemort altogether." I said quietly giving him a furtive glance. Snape snorted derisively.  
  
"I know that you hold yourself in very high esteem, Draco, but I must say, if you think that you can defeat the Dark Lord on your own, you have gotten very arrogant indeed."  
  
"But Professor I am His heir!" I protested indignantly.  
  
"But not The One." He responded smoothly. I grimaced, "Draco, you must understand that He will not kill you. The one that He is after is Hermione, because after all she will be the downfall of Him, the true downfall. You are only there to father His real heir, the one that will righteously take His place. It might hurt your pride for me to say this, but you are nothing compared to the importance of Hermione. She is the only hope for the Light side, and the only hope for the rest of the wizarding world. We can not let any harm come to her. Without her, we are nothing."  
  
I was stunned at his words. Hermione alone carried the responsibility of preventing the world from falling into darkness. I smiled grimly, I had thought that we both would share the burden. My heart was becoming heavier with the realization of the full extent of Snape's and my task in leaving the Dark side to defeat Voldemort; we first had to get out of here before He got a firm grip on Hermione's sentimental heart, and before He deceives her into thinking Darkly.  
  
As I elaborated on that thought, it seemed as though the room became darker; a lot darker. I blinked, and shook my head to clear my mind, but the room seemed no different to what it had been like only a moment ago, were my eyes playing tricks on me? Snape was looking at me strangely and I managed a small smile at him.  
  
"Professor, do you think that with Hermione's help we could stop Him?" I asked tentatively.  
  
"Of course, without a doubt. We will prevail, Draco, just as long both of you stay on the Light side. He didn't know what He was doing when He chose to make you two His heirs, complications in His perfect plan have not been considered, trust me, and we will have to rely on this flaw to win." Said Snape fiercely, I had never seen him look so determined.  
  
"Do we have a plan?" I asked quietly.  
  
"Obviously, Draco. The first part of the plan is getting both of you out of this wretched place, and I suggest that you speak to Hermione soon and inform her of our plan, but don't breathe a word to her about being The One. It will make her heart much heavier." Replied Snape firmly, he got up from the bay window seat and moving to the door, "Good night, sleep well."  
  
"Good night Professor." I said before closing the dark wooden door.  
  
I had a fitful sleep that night, haunted with nightmares.  
  
--  
  
When I awoke the next morning my first thought was to get to Hermione straight away. My second thought was that that was impossible in these circumstances and that I was in the power of Voldemort and that it was highly unlikely that I would have any time to speak to her privately until tonight.  
  
A loud rapping at my door interrupted my train of thought and I quickly got up from my bed and scrambled to the door to open it. The face that I was met with was not welcome.  
  
"Mister Malfoy, good morning. My Lord has requested for me to inform you that He is expecting your presence at breakfast in the Dining Hall soon and also at the Grand Council which will be taking place in the Retiring Room located next to the Dining Hall." Squeaked Pettigrew, the rat-faced pathetic follower of Voldemort.  
  
"Tell the Him that I will be down shortly." I replied flatly and hastily shutting the door in his face.  
  
I quickly made my way to the wardrobe and took out a set of forest green robes, they surprisingly suited me nicely and in no time I was ready to make my way down to have breakfast. Somehow I found my way to the Dining Hall and as I entered the vast room with a long black polished table set in the centre of it, I realized that my father was there sitting four seats down from the Dark Lord.  
  
The look that he wore on his face was priceless and intriguing, it was a cross between smugness [for knowing that his son was one of the heirs] and bitterness [most probably due to the fact that I was effortlessly going to be much more important to his Master than he ever was going to be!]. But this expression was smartly replaced with a welcoming smile and his deep voice loudly declaring my arrival.  
  
"Draco! Son, come and take a seat here." He beckoned for me to sit next to him, the Dark Lord merely smiled at this and flicked his wand, making a chair materialize out of thin air and land next to my father. I strode briskly to the seat and smirked at my father, he seemed taken aback.  
  
"Good morning Draco." Said Voldemort pleasantly, "Where is Hermione?"  
  
"I don't know, my lord, I think that she still isn't ready to come down yet, perhaps she had a bad night's sleep." I replied calmly, taking my fork and spearing a small piece of bacon on it. Thank god they had normal food here, I had been under the impression that they only ate strange foods at mealtimes, as though the food would be just as dark as the consumers of it were.  
  
"Ahh, Hermione! How lovely you look this morning." Voldemort suddenly exclaimed, upon seeing Hermione standing in the entrance standing cautiously, as though not knowing what to do, "come and join us for breakfast."  
  
Her warm chocolate brown eyes met mine as she came closer and I could not restrain myself from smiling at her twinkling eyes, she seemed quite content today actually, and that was strange considering the graveness of our task. Which reminded me, I needed to talk to her soon.  
  
My eyes drifted down to see what she was wearing today, a set of lilac purple robes that flowed smoothly and looked soft and sweet on her; she looked exactly like an angel. I murmured my approval as she passed me and she grinned at me, making me feel considerably happier; maybe today wouldn't be too bad at all.  
  
The rest of breakfast passed rather uneventfully and soon the people who had been seated at the table were all shuffling into the room connected to the hall by a set of impressively carved ash doors that opened magically to allow access into the scholarly seeming room.  
  
The Retiring Room was filled with bookcases but was large enough to fit around thirty 'noble' men comfortably in a variety of seats ranging from sofas, chaise lounges to the good old armchairs. It was decorated in maroon and grey and overall gave the impression that it was a rich man's study.  
  
Voldemort gestured for Hermione and me to sit on either side of Him and we obeyed, sitting ourselves down next to His large leather reclining chair. He began to speak to his Death Eaters in a low voice, a voice that wouldn't have been heard in the usual din of assemblies in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, but oddly enough there wasn't a single sound apart from Voldemort's low voice.  
  
"My dear supporters, I have called all of you here to a Grand Council to introduce to you the two people that will be paving the way for an even better future for us; my two heirs, Hermione Lestrange and Draco Malfoy." He said regally and the room suddenly erupted with stiff clapping from the men.  
  
When the applause had died down, Voldemort continued on with proclaiming how we would be following in his footsteps one day and I gazed at him, realizing how manipulative this man really was, that even though I knew all these words were total lies, I was still drawn in by the pure charm that was in them.  
  
I also realized that it would be next to impossible to deceive this man.  
  
--  
  
The day seemed to drag on and on, it seemed to me that Hermione and I were being treated like royalty, just for now at least. I saw Snape give Hermione an anxious look and I wanted to assure him that both of us would be alright, I knew that we were both tougher than he thought we were. I really needed to talk to Hermione soon and after spending most of the day waiting for a chance to take her away from all the formalities with the nobles and Death Eaters I finally seized the opportunity when it came up after dinner.  
  
She was just standing outside on a terrace staring dreamily at the stars, and it seemed as though the luminescence of the stars were in her eyes too when she looked at me with something shining in her eye. I smiled gently at her and softly approached her, taking care not to make too much noise to alert the attention of somebody else.  
  
"Hey." I whispered when I got to where she was standing near the railing of the balcony.  
  
"Hey Draco." She replied turning to face me.  
  
"Listen, do you want to go to my room or something? I have something I want to talk to you about." I said in an undertone gripping her hand before she could make up her mind.  
  
We slipped stealthily out of the Dining Hall though I was sure Voldemort knew we were sneaking out, but hopefully He didn't know what I was going to tell her. I guided her through the maze of corridors until we reached my room and I never let her hand leave my grasp until the door clicked shut lightly behind us.  
  
She let her eyes take in the environment of my room and I saw her gasp appreciatively. I grinned and led her to the bay window seat and let her admire the view from my very own 'balcony', I was very satisfied when she said breathlessly,  
  
"Its beautiful."  
  
"Yeah, the Dark Lord sure knows how to use His powers eh?" I replied sardonically and she smiled wryly at that. Then her next question broke the atmosphere of the moment.  
  
"So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked casually, leaning back on the window.  
  
"Uhm.well I just wanted to tell you about me and Snape's plan about getting out of here. I mean we're going to have to sooner or later before he suspects us for being Light right? But meanwhile, we have to act like his heirs before Snape can give us a window of time where we can leave this place without Him knowing, maybe in the middle of the night or something, I don't know, but its vital that you don't get deceived by Him." I said quietly. Hermione nodded slowly, and motioned for me to continue.  
  
"Alright, all Snape wants us to do for now is try to get as much information as possible without Him getting suspicious. Once the time is right, we'll leave here, even if we haven't gotten any information, because there's only going to be one chance for us to get out without Him knowing. Snape's arranging that carefully, so we have to be really alert because it can be at any time from now." I stated confidently.  
  
Hermione was quite silent for a few moments before responding to my proposal.  
  
"I see.so we could be getting out here anytime right?" I nodded, "But Draco, there's a problem.I don't want to leave."  
  
I looked at her with my eyes widened, Snape and my worst fear was confirmed, Voldemort was using His powers to manipulate Hermione into wanting to stay at the Lestrange estate.  
  
"Hermione! Snap out of it! Don't let Him get a grip on you!" I exclaimed urgently, taking her slim shoulders into my hands and giving her a little shake.  
  
"I saw a photo of my parents yesterday night.and I saw them in my dreams after I cried myself to sleep." she said with anguish in her voice, "They were talking to me.they wanted for me to wait for them."  
  
I held her close to me in shock, feeling the drops of tears from her eyes wet the front of my robes, feeling her slender hands clutch at my shoulders for support, bitter sobbing racked her thin body and pulled her even closer until there was not a single inch of space between us.  
  
"Why couldn't I have ever known them? Why are they in Azkaban? Why does my heart feel as though it is being torn into two knowing that my real parents are in prison and my.other parents aren't really my parents.I can't desert them, because they've loved me for all these years, kept me safe, taken care of me.but." she trailed off.  
  
I didn't know what to do because she just seemed so lost.I nearly laughed out loud, Hermione Granger the genius was lost?! Hermione Granger the smart, witty, Mudblood. As I looked at her, I saw that nothing had changed in her except for the fact that she wasn't a Mudblood, but a pureblood and not Hermione Granger but Hermione Lestrange, over all she was still the girl that I used to know. The same stubborn, beautiful, interesting girl.  
  
"Oh, don't feel like that.don't think about it too much.what's happened has happened and you cant change the course of fate anyway so there's no point in wallowing in self-pity. What we have to concentrate on now is getting out of here and being able to save the wizarding world." I stated firmly, then added hastily, "I know that sounds really melodramatic but it's the truth."  
  
Hermione managed a watery smile at me and she let me gently dry the tears streaked on her smooth cheeks. I smiled fondly at her and realized with a start that I was holding her in my arms and that our noses were already touching; we were that close to each other.  
  
I saw a startled look come over Hermione's face and I knew that she had realized what an awkward position we were in too, but then I saw her relax and I thought to myself 'what the hell, I might never get the chance again' and let my emotions take over and the next moment my lips were on her soft ones gently caressing them.  
  
The kiss was gentle at first, but then her lips parted and the kiss deepened, I felt her tongue entwining with mine, making me moan with pleasure and I felt that her arm had found its way to my back and she was stroking it lightly, telling me that she was enjoying the kiss too.  
  
Without breaking the kiss, which was getting more frantic I pushed her smoothly onto the bed and I marveled at how right it felt to have her beneath me, but then she suddenly pulled away from me and I immediately felt the loss of her warm lips on mine.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice surprisingly husky.  
  
"Nothing.I'm just unsure." she answered shakily, her cheeks were flushed.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked cautiously, feeling uncertain myself, but I didn't move from my position.  
  
"It just seems too much.like finding out who my real parents are.having the responsibility of 'saving the world' and needing to escape from here.my home.I'm so sorry Draco but I don't think I can handle this at the moment." She said softly, biting her lip nervously.  
  
"Oh." Was all I managed to choke out. Her chocolate brown eyes looked worriedly into mine and I could feel the compassion in them. Her eyes were telling me that she wanted me too, but she was also telling me that she meant those words. I sighed. Why did Voldemort have to come into our lives? If He hadn't had anything to do with us, there wouldn't have been an Annika to stop the relationship between Hermione and me and we wouldn't be here, under the power of Him.  
  
"Can you wait?" asked Hermione timidly, her eyes silently pleading with me.  
  
"Of course." I replied, giving her a quick peck on the cheek as an answer.  
  
She smiled sadly at me, and put her arms around my neck, pulling me closer to her.  
  
"I'm so sorry." she whispered in my ear.  
  
"It's alright. I understand." I replied, nuzzling my face into the crook of her neck, "Stay here with me tonight, I don't want you going anywhere, for some reason I feel as though its safer for you to be here than alone in your own room."  
  
"Draco! I thought you said you could wait!" exclaimed Hermione indignantly.  
  
"No! I don't mean.I just want you to stay here, by my side." I mumbled quietly.  
  
Hermione just chuckled and rolled onto her side and drew the dark green covers around her and settled herself on one of the pillows on my bed. She looked at me with wide innocent eyes as though she didn't know why I was looking at her strangely. I guess I was just giving her that look because she didn't storm out of the room protesting that she could take care of herself.  
  
"I take it that you accept my offer." I said grandly, sliding into the bed myself. I immediately felt Hermione warmth beside me and her smile warmed me up inside too.  
  
"That's right." She replied, throwing her arms around me. We snuggled closer to each other and she murmured a 'goodnight' in my ear sleepily before dropping off. I could tell by the slight dark circles under her eyes that she hadn't been getting a lot of sleep lately and I was content just to watch her for awhile.  
  
Soon enough though I fell asleep too and to my relief, there were no more dark dreams clouding my mind, and I think I could safely say that that night as we held each other in our sleep, we had a fairly peaceful slumber.  
  
Hey everyone!  
  
Sorry for not updating last week! Some things just came up and combined with writer's block, I just couldn't get a new chapter up last week. But note that this week my chapter was pretty long.over 4000 words in fact!  
  
Anyway, I hope you guys like how the story is progressing and I just threw in a little romance, since I thought that it was getting a bit neglected. I hoped that you guys enjoyed it! =)  
  
But, on the other hand if you guys think that my story isn't progressing well, then I think you should make a suggestion on how I could improve my story! In other words.PLEASE REVIEW!!  
  
Cheers,  
  
psychohart 


	23. Author's Note

Hey everyone,

I'm so sorry, I don't like Author's Notes myself, but I had to post this one up because I've been spending the last few weeks you know, planning in advance about the story and doing the next chapter and all that, and _Order of the Phoenix_ came out and I read it of course…[finished] and I realized that the stuff that's in it, contradicts where my stories heading right? And a lot of the background that I've provided for Hermione is kinda messed up if you read _Order of the Phoenix_… =( so, I just wanted to ask everyone what they would like me to do ~

Either:

****

CHANGE BACKGROUND TO FIT ORDER OF THE PHOENIX [e.g. changing names of the Lestranges etc.]

Or

****

JUST STUFF THAT IDEA AND CONTINUE ON WITH THE STORY AS I WANT 

It's all up to you, and as soon as I get enough response, then I'll post my next chapter, probably some time next week, so stay tuned! 

Oh, and all you have to do to make the new chapter sooner, is leave a review stating which way you want me to write the story!

Cheers!

psychohart

p.s. **sorry** to the _really_ devoted Harry Potter fans, but _Order of the Phoenix_ really doesn't satisfy me unfortunately…it really didn't live up to my expectations, I mean it took her quite awhile to write and yet it just doesn't have the touch that the last four books had =( oh well! I want to say some more stuff about the book, but I'm scared I'm going to spoil the story for everyone, so I'll just leave you all now!


	24. May It Be

Never Say Never

Chapter 23 – May It Be

Disclaimer: the plot is all mine, but the characters all belong to J.K Rowling, except not Daniela and Marc Lestrange…

__

A/N: This chapter is for the people who responded to my Author's Note. This is dedicated to you guys! =)

[damn the Order of the Phoenix! Stuffed up all my plans! =P]

Hermione's POV

I woke up feeling all warm and cosy, it seemed to be a perfect day; the sunlight was streaming lazily through the windows, and the forest greens covers were snuggly flowing around me. It felt like bliss to lie here in this bed… Draco's bed?! The grey eyes which were looking intently at me confirmed my suspicions, and the broad, mischievous grin made me completely melt inside.

"I see you've finally woken up." He said in a low voice and I was suddenly aware that his arm was around my waist, pulling me close to him.

"Yeah…I didn't realize I was in your bed, I had such a dreamless sleep that I forgot that I was here, instead of being in my own room." I replied with a smile, leaning against his shoulder. 

We just lay there for a few moments before Draco made to get up and with a shock I looked at the elegant clock on his bedside table, it read 'twenty past ten' in the morning. I felt Draco's warmth slide away as he got out of bed, walking straight to the bathroom.

"I'll be out in a moment alright?" he said cheerfully, before disappearing.

"Draco! We're going to be late! Voldemort said that He was going to take us around the estate today!" I exclaimed loudly, hoping that he could hear me from behind that heavy oak door.

I reluctantly left the toasty bed and hastily smoothed out my robes, which I had slept in before making my way to the bathroom door. I knocked on the door a few times before Draco finally responded.

"Did you hear what I said before?" I asked him. 

"No. What did you say?" he replied, opening the door abruptly. I smiled at the sight in front of me, he was wearing a dark green robe made of toweling material and his hair was still disheveled and wet, meaning he had just stepped out of the shower. I don't think I had ever seen him look so alluring and by the sly smirk on his face, I realized that he intended to make me think that.

"Well, I was saying that we're going to be late because Voldemort said He was going to take us for a tour around this place and we were supposed to meet Him in the Tulip Pavilion at ten o'clock." I said clearly, hoping he hadn't seen the look in my eyes which would've told him that I found him very good looking at this very moment.

"Alright then. I'm done in here, I was just about to step out and get some real robes on, and by the way, you should too. Your robes from yesterday are really suspicious looking after spending a night in bed with me." He teased, narrowly dodging the playful blow I was about to give him. He gave me a wink before darting to his wardrobe and pulling out a set of silvery grey robes.

"What do you think of these?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Anything, anything… just hurry up!" I replied, and he gave me a glare, which made me add, "Alright, they look great on you ok?" 

He smiled and stepped back into the bathroom to get changed, and when he emerged, I had to say that he really did look pretty good in them, it brought out the colour of his eyes. [how cliched] 

"Are we going to drop into your room to get some decent robes on you too, Mione?" he asked quietly, taking my hand in his warm one. He opened his door and shut it lightly behind me.

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea." I answered, steering him in the right direction and after walking briskly through a maze of corridors and going up a few flights of stairs, we were at my room. 

"Can I come in?" he asked softly, holding the door open and I nodded, making a beeline for my wardrobe. 

I just randomly chose a set of robes, since all of them were so pretty, and I was satisfied with the dress robes of a periwinkle blue colour, fitted in the same style as the robes I had worn yesterday. I shyly darted past Draco into my spotlessly white bathroom and quickly changed.

When I came out I threw my old robes onto the armchair in the room and then fleetly took Draco's hand and ushered him out of my room, it was already half past ten and I didn't know how angry Voldemort would be if he found out that we were late because we had spent our night together…

"Hurry up, Draco! Can't you go any faster?!" I exclaimed, feeling frustrated, while Draco dawdled behind me, looking quite unconcerned. 

"Don't worry Mione, He won't be mad at us. We're His heirs after all." He responded calmly.

"Can you still hear my thoughts?" I asked quietly. 

"Yeah. Sometimes, I think it's when you're feeling most desperate, or urgent that I can hear them. Like you know when you lost your necklace, I heard you swearing and thinking how could you have lost it!" he replied with a small smile. 

"You reckon we can kind of harness the power?" I said out loud, speaking my thoughts.

"I don't think that it was written in the '_Wacky Ways of the Wizarding Mind'_ that we could master it. But hey, we're not normal people are we?" he answered arrogantly. I scowled at him.

"Well do you want to try then? I daresay that it will be very useful…" I continued, before opening the wooden doors opening out to the Tulip Pavilion where we were going the meet Him. 

"Let's talk about it later." Replied Draco in an undertone, signifying that the Dark Lord was probably around and listening.

We walked together through the courtyard leading to the Pavilion and already I saw the outline of Voldemort, standing patiently on the steps of the Pavilion waiting for us. He was twirling His wand sedately in His long spindly fingers and with every step that we took towards Him, my feeling of dread grew. 

'_Why does He scare me so much when its obvious that He wont be killing me or Draco anytime soon? We're the safest people in the wizarding world.'_ I thought hurriedly to myself, trying to submerge my fear of Him. I didn't even know why I was suddenly so afraid, I mean He had been nothing but short of kind to us, and seemed to have no notion of harming us. Perhaps it was just natural instinct, after all He was dangerously powerful.

Draco was holding my hand and the expression that he wore on his face was so composed and devoid of emotion that it worried me, it was the face that he wore when he taunted Harry or Ron and the face that he had when he used to tease all three of us. I hadn't seen that face for so long, that it had become foreign to me. 

But when he turned to me, and smiled, his face took on a complete change and warmed up, and the gentle squeeze that he gave my hand was reassuring, not to mention hearing his voice inside my head comforting me.

'_The Dark Lord can smell fear Hermione. If we ever want to make it out of here alive, we have to be strong.'_ He said to me. I nodded resignedly and we continued to advance upon where He was standing.

"Good morning, Draco and Hermione." Voldemort said pleasantly, motioning for us to come closer to Him.

"Good morning my lord." We replied in unison.

"What has kept you both? I have been waiting for the past half-hour, and when I sent Wormtail to your rooms, he could not find you. Where have you been? For you weren't at breakfast either. I have been most worried." He asked severely, with a trace of a hiss audible in His voice.

"Well, last night after the dinner Hermione came back up to my room and we just talked for awhile… and she ended up staying for the night, which probably explains why Pettigrew couldn't find Hermione in her room, also because we woke up quite late this morning, so I'll like to apologize for keeping you waiting, my lord." Answered Draco smoothly.

Voldemort seemed to glow at hearing his explanation, and seemed to be most pleased at the news that I had spent the night in Draco's room. He smiled jubilantly at us and though that showed that He wasn't angry with us, it still unnerved me… it was as though He was up to something behind our backs.

"I'm sorry too." I mumbled. The Dark Lord just gave me a gentle pat on my shoulder and began to lead us out of the Pavilion and back into the courtyard from which we had come from.

"This is what we call the Rose Courtyard, can you see all the different types of roses here, the array of colours is beautiful." He gestured around the courtyard, and it seemed as though the buds suddenly bloomed as He was talking, though I wouldn't put it past Him to have really done it.

Draco and me politely nodded and then we proceeded along to the next part of the estate that He was going to show us. I found it quite strange that there were so many flowers around, it kind of frightened me… after all I associated flowers with tender loving care, not with Dark wizards.

"You're mother was quite a gardener, Hermione." The Dark Lord suddenly remarked, "She loved these Muggle flowers, when she wasn't by my side, she spent her spare time gardening.. it was her passion, and no matter how much I tried to discourage her, she wouldn't give in." 

That comment struck me hard. Daniela Lestrange liked to garden…?! I couldn't imagine someone who enjoyed killing Muggles, torturing them and hurting them would love to tend to her garden. I looked around, and indeed the flowers did look as though they were very well taken care of…

I thought back to Isabelle Granger, her clean, organized approach to everything, her professional businesslike air about her, the way she handled things so correctly but not passionately. She would never spend her spare time gardening, no, she would be on her computer making sure all the records at her dental clinic were in order. 

And then, without warning, I saw Daniela gently pruning her roses, taking so much painstaking care with each one, looking delicately at them. 

__

She was kneeling in front of me, in front of a bed of them, and seemed oblivious to me standing there watching her. With a start I realized that Draco and Voldemort weren't there either.

"Danie-" I never finished calling out to her when I saw a toddler with curly brown hair waddle towards her. She scooped her up in her arms and tickled her nose playfully, while I stood there looking stunned; that kid was me.

"Hermione!" I heard an urgent voice say. I opened my eyes and realized that I was standing where I was before, in front of that rosebush except there was no Daniela Lestrange and everything was clearer, though also in colour. Had I just had a flashback? But it was so vivid… I was sure that she was here just a moment ago.

"Hermione." The voice repeated, and I saw that Draco was looking concernedly at me, "What happened? Do you have a headache or something? You just closed your eyes and started biting your lips." 

"What? Oh… nothing… something just happened, I don't know what though. I'll talk to you about it later." I said weakly. Draco put his arm around me and held me close to him for a moment. 

"Don't worry about it. Just be strong." He whispered in my ear.

"Hermione? Is there anything wrong?" Voldemort asked coolly, smiling amusedly at me in Draco's arms.

"No, I'm just fine. Shall we continue the tour?" I replied in a firmer voice.

Voldemort just kept smiling though He turned His back and moved on, taking us to a small river running under a beautifully crafted wooden bridge that lead to a grove of lemon trees. As we crossed the bridge, I felt the world sliding away and Marc Lestrange was standing in front of me looking over the railing of the bridge wistfully at the water.

__

"My lord." He suddenly said, turning to the figure standing behind him.

"Marc, my faithful servant. Why are you here alone? Where is Daniela?" asked Voldemort imperiously.

"She left me." Replied Marc bluntly.

"With the child?" continued Voldemort.

"No."

"You lie. Don't try to protect her when she isn't loyal to you, tell me where she is." Hissed Voldemort harshly.

"I don't know…" 

"Crucio" 

Screams of pain and agony echoed through the still air and I had to restrain myself from crying out as I saw my father being tormented. The screams slowly subsided as he was released from the curse and he struggled to get the words out to Voldemort.

"She has gone to the double crosser." 

"Snape?" Marc nodded.

"So she has tried to escape with what she loves the most… is she afraid of what I will do with her child?" snarled Voldemort. Again Marc nodded, "Well she will live with the consequences. She will be brought back and punished."

"No, my lord. Don't punish her. She was only doing what any woman would've done in her situation. It is only her motherly instinct, not her loyalty to you. If it weren't for the child, her allegiance would've never wavered. Please forgive her this time." Pleaded Marc. Voldemort looked thoughtfully at him, and then His expression softened.

"Very well, Marc. I understand your distress, but something will have to be done about the double crosser...we will rescue your wife and child, then deal with him. But not a word to the rest of them, not even Lucius, about this ever happening, I want everything to be going according to plan." Sneered Voldemort, before Disapparating. 

And suddenly Voldemort was before me, peering intently into my eyes with his cold merciless ones. I jerked away from him, startled by the sudden change of context; everything was much clearer, more in focus than in my vision, and of course there was no Marc Lestrange either. 

"Hermione? Are you feeling alright? Is there anything troubling you because this is the second time you have acted like this." said Voldemort steadily, giving me a piercing gaze.

"No… I think I will be fine. It's just a minor headache I think actually." I said staggering to my feet, for some reason this time I was on the ground.

The thoughts that were racing through my head really were giving me a headache as I sorted through them – my mother tried to take me away from Darkness, afraid of what Voldemort would do to me, [so she was loving and caring] and ran off to Snape?! Secondly, Voldemort knew that Snape had betrayed him back then...so how safe was Snape now? And thirdly…no one was immune from the wrath of Voldemort...even my father, his loyal servant wasn't spared. 

"Very well, but do tell us if you feel as though the headache is worsening." The Dark Lord responded, His black robes sweeping after Him as He continued to lead us through the Lemon Grove, until we reached what seemed like a summerhouse on the far corner of the property. 

It was ominously painted black and the dark windows with no curtains only served to make the summerhouse even more out of place in this gorgeous estate. It was the only place that seemed to be really Dark, and as we got closer to it, I got the feeling that I had felt when we were meeting the Dark Lord this morning. 

"This, my heirs, is where some of the instruments are kept, though I can not show them to you now, though you both are soon to follow in my footsteps and begin to put my Grand Plan into action...glory will soon come, and it will because of you." He smiled a lipless smile and I shuddered, seeing wicked delight dancing around in His red eyes.

We passed by the dark summerhouse and continued on our tour, seemingly heading back to the mansion already, though Voldemort kept on speaking to Draco in a low voice, and helplessly knowing they weren't paying any attention to me, I felt myself being sucked into a pitch black world…

__

The Magical Law Enforcement Squad from the Ministry of Magic were swarming around the mansion which was illuminated by many lights inside and they were all clothed in black as camouflage. I could hear a child crying from inside the house and I assumed that it was me. 

The leader of the squad motioned for five of the personnel to follow him to the back of the mansion, and I saw them slip in through a side window while the others waited outside, prepared for assault.

A moment later, a shrill scream rang through the air as I saw Daniela being seized by a few members of the squad while there were a lot of curses being exchanged by my father and the leader of the squad. But I saw a curly brown head held in his left hand and I knew that he was holding me while fighting off the leader with his wand hand.

Soon, the leader used a kind of subduing spell on my father, and I saw myself fall from his arms where the leader caught me. My mother had already came out of the front door all the while trying to free herself from their grasp. She was screaming like a banshee and my father soon followed bellowing hoarsely at them to let go of him.

Suddenly, Dumbledore Apparated and he was standing with his back to me. I wanted to reach out to him to ask him all the questions going through my brain, but I knew that he was little more than a vision. He swiftly moved towards the leader of the squad and extended his arm to carry the small bundle he had in his arms. 

"I'll take of her now." I heard the words clearly and watched in wonder as Dumbledore cradled me in his arms and then Disapparated. 

I woke from my vision, and I saw a fleeting image of an angel pendant with a blue crystal set in the middle of it before I sank into darkness and collapsed. 

Hey everyone! 

Thanks everyone so much for your encouragement for me to continue this story on without changing everything that's supposed to be Hermione's background, especially who helped me finally make up my mind, oh and I apologize for the delay…I just wasn't sure what you readers wanted me to do =)

OMG I am so sorry for the delay again [ I hate it when my fave stories don't update as well], but I really needed to think about where I wanted this story to head…and yeah, I was reading _Order of the Phoenix_…hmm grr how could they kill that person?! And how could it have been so disappointing?! =( Anyway, enough of my rambling, the important thing is to thank all the people who responded to my Author's Note. Thank you guys so much! Alright, here's a shout out to all of you. 

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Brokenflower, [sorry I didn't bother to change the names…I hope you still like the story anyway!] 

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Iceprincess [thanks for pointing out that this _is _fanfiction =)]

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Brandi [I'm glad you like it the way it is!]

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Meg [honey I am so happy you have the same opinion on OotP as me! Oh and just a question, do you write fanfic too? Coz I read a story about HP by a Meg as well and its pretty good. Thanks again for the encouragement!]

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Little Witch [thanks for your encouragement too =) I still can't get over the book and the one who died =(]

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Hey or anonymous [yeah, I agree, book five didn't really have the touch. Hope you like the chapter that you begged for =)]

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Divine Sorceress [thanks for your comment…it made me quite happy =) yeah, I will try to add some of the spells in…but hmm…I think I will have to read OotP again for that =(]

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GinnyRules890 [here's your update, and thanks for your comment! I will do the 'pre OotP universe' thingo when I have time ok?]

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Beth [wow, you're quite imaginative you know? I'll think about it, I'll try to incorporate some of your idea into the ending alright? Thanks for your comment.]

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Lea [lol, you haven't read it yet? Well, you're not missing out on anything, lets just say…well thanks for your comment and encouragement =)]

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River-star [thanks for your comment too, and I hope you like the new chapter!]

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Fairypicnic [hmm your first review? Does that mean that there will be more to follow?! *smiles hopefully* haha, thanks for your comment, and I'm happy that you like the story!]

Oh and thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 22 as well -

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Stacy, Valkyrie Nienna Helyanwe, Samantha, Brandi, Luza, Little Witch and FoxyChic4u. 

Thanks for all your support! 

Enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review!

psychohart


	25. Delusion

Never Say Never

Chapter 24 – Delusion

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that J.K Rowling does, and the situations created in this story are purely fictional, using the characters thought up by J.K =)

Draco's POV

We were strolling back to the manor, the Dark Lord and I, but I was on my guard…I had a feeling He had something up His sleeve that He wasn't telling us about, especially since He was inquiring into personal details about me and Hermione's relationship. I assume that He didn't know that I knew that she was The One and that He was going to 'dispose' of her after she gave birth to…our child…

All of a sudden I heard someone crying out for help in my mind, and I turned around sharply. Where had Hermione gone?! Voldemort was giving me a look of confusion, and I realized that the cry was from Hermione, because He couldn't hear it.

"Hermione's in trouble." I explained quickly, racing back up the hill from where we had just come from in hope of finding her. How could we have left her behind?!

Soon I did find her, lying in a crumpled heap near the black summerhouse and evidently unconscious. The Dark Lord followed closely behind me and His eyes narrowed to slits again as He took in the scene before Him. I thought I heard Him mutter an obscenity under His breath, but the flashing look He gave me made me decide not to comment.

"Wake up!" I said, shaking her shoulder in hope of her leaving unconsciousness. She did not respond, and anxiety took over, I made to pick her up from the ground and take her back to the mansion, but Voldemort was a step ahead of me, as usual and He had performed a Transporting Spell to move her back to the manor, and in a moment she was gone.

"Don't worry, Draco. I will take care of this." He stated, and then Disapparated.

__

Damn! Why can't I Disapparate yet?! I thought frustratedly to myself. I didn't want Hermione in the hands of Voldemort, though I knew He wouldn't be harming her in any way at the moment, but what if He put some sort of spell on her…some spell that made her think differently? 

I hurried back to the manor, and began to search for Snape. I knew that he was the only one who could help us. On the way, I passed Wormtail, and I looked menacingly at him and demanded to know where the hell Hermione was now. He gave a petrified squeak before answering, 

"Master has taken her back to her room. Forgive me for saying this but…she didn't look as though she was very well." 

"Thank you for your time, Wormtail." I said patronizingly, before continuing my search for Snape. I didn't dare ask anyone whether they had seen him, in fear that word would travel back to Voldemort…I didn't know just how safe he was, considering he was really working for Dumbledore…surely the Dark Lord knew that? 

I passed Hermione's room and I hesitated for just a moment, the urge to eavesdrop on what was going on was strong…but on reflection I decided I would come back later after I found Snape, hopefully with a plan on how we were going to get out of this place.

In a dark dungeon in the cellars of the manor, after a few hours of searching I found him. He was working on some sort of potion, and he was extremely distracted, so he didn't notice me walking into his laboratory. 

"Professor. I need to talk to you about something." I said softly. He jerked out of his concentration on his work and looked at me in an alarmed fashion, "Is there something wrong?"

"No…no…its just that…how did you find me here?!" Snape asked worriedly. With a wave of his wand, all his equipment had vanished, "Was anyone else following you?"

"I was alone. I had been looking for you all over the estate, and I just happened to stumble across you here…its such a typical place of you, Professor." I replied, smirking.

"This is not a matter of jest, Draco. If anyone else discovers me here, we are doomed, no one is supposed to know of this place. And if it is as easily accessed by others as it was by you, then I have every reason to be afraid." He muttered angrily.

"I'm sorry." I replied shortly, "What were you working on before?" 

"Something that is vital if you want to escape from here." He responded bluntly.

"Oh…er…when is that going to be?" I asked slowly.

"Tonight, Mr. Malfoy." I looked at him, with a shocked expression on my face. Tonight?!

"But, Professor…Hermione's unconscious at the moment…and she's under the care of Voldemort…we can't do it tonight! She's not fit to…and anyway, Voldemort is going to be watching over her all night!" I protested, though I had wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

"It has already been organized. There has been so much planning done for this to happen…we will not have another chance. Do not fret, we will take care of that, it is only a matter of distraction." Replied Snape calmly. He seemed completely confident that it would work.

"And what is the plan exactly?" I asked archly.

"The plan is for you both to be in your room at midnight, so that I can come and fetch you and then we will wait for five minutes and as the Watchers that patrol the estate switch shifts, you will take a Portkey back to Hogwarts. It is as simple as that." He answered smoothly. There was something he was keeping from me again.

"It's not really that simple is it, Professor? Otherwise why are you so touchy about me finding you here, making some potion?" I shot back defiantly. Snape gave me a sour look and sighed.

"No, you are quite right, Draco. It isn't simple at all, it's actually quite complex…but we mustn't talk of these matters here. It isn't safe. I will arrange for you to meet me after dinner in the Rose Courtyard alright? We will talk more then. But meanwhile, tell me what's wrong with Hermione?" he changed the subject tactfully and I immediately became worried again.

"I don't know…I was walking with Voldemort, when I heard this cry for help and then I ran back up the hill to find Hermione because I couldn't see her. She was lying next to the place where all the Dark instruments were kept and she was unconscious, and then Voldemort transported her back to the manor…I found out from Wormtail that she's in her room and He is in there too." I replied to his question.

"Are you worried?" asked Snape snidely.

"Yes, extremely. I have this feeling that He is going to do something to her. Enchant her or something…surely He knows that we are going to run." I answered truthfully.

"Perhaps the enchantment has already begun." Mumbled Snape, more to himself than to me.

"Sorry? I didn't quite catch that." I said, curious as to what he was thinking.

"It was nothing of importance. Now, Draco go back to your room before anyone suspects anything, I will meet you in the Rose Courtyard after dinner tonight. Be as discreet as possible." He said quietly. 

I nodded and swiftly left the dungeon, with a million things that I wanted to ask him about…it really bothered me that he wouldn't tell me anything that really mattered…after all, I had a right to know what the whole plan was right? But, at least for now I was satisfied, we were finally leaving this place for good. 

I sauntered to Hermione's room, wary of the people inside…was it just Voldemort or were half of the Death Eaters also in there too?! The racket that they were making was so loud that I wondered if Hermione was still unconscious or not. I edged closer to the door and put my ear to it, hoping to hear what they were making such noise for.

"My Lord, do you think that it is wise to allow them to wander unmonitored? I haven't seen Mr. Malfoy for the whole day…what if he is up to something?" asked a petulant voice.

"I know what is the right thing to do, Avery. I do not need you to tell me what to do." Replied Voldemort icily. A disgruntled sound came at that reply. 

"But, my Lord…Avery does have a valid point. Perhaps, we should keep an eye on Mr. Malfoy, just to prevent anything from upsetting the plan." Pleaded another voice.

"I want absolute silence from you all! I can't stand any of this infernal racket, and neither does my heir, no doubt. Get out of the room at once! Miss Lestrange needs her rest." Hissed Voldemort angrily, and thanks to my Quidditch reflexes, I darted quickly to the end of the corridor before they could open the door.

The Death Eaters that were present in the room, now filed slowly out and I noticed that they didn't come down the corridor that I had hidden in, but rather went a couple of steps down the corridor in the other direction and prodded at the rose wallpaper with their wands. To my amazement [though I shouldn't have been surprised at all] the wallpaper slid aside to reveal a dark passageway which the Death Eaters all walked into.

As they disappeared from sight, I had an instinctive feeling that I should follow them, and I was irritated to realize that I didn't have my wand yet. I had to get to the passageway before it closed, and I quickly rushed to the section of the wallpaper, which was still open, and slipped stealthily in. 

I followed the beam of light that was clearly coming from a wand somewhere in front of me and I was careful to make my footsteps light, but the plodding of one of the Death Eaters made me relax. It was probably Crabbe and Goyle seniors making that heavy noise. I was curious to see where this passageway would lead, and how useful it would be later on for us, and soon, I watched as the light bobbed out of sight.

"Now that the Dark Lord is finally out of earshot, let us discuss what has been going on lately." Said Avery's voice importantly.

As the passageway twisted and turned, I was able to hide behind a bend to prevent them from seeing me. I discovered in shock that the passageway led straight to the dark summerhouse that I had found Hermione lying unconscious at this morning. I watched helplessly as the wall of the summerhouse closed on me, and I realized that I was trapped until another Death Eater came.

"Shit." I swore under my breath. 

Thankfully for me though, I could still hear the voices from the summerhouse and that I would be able to find out some information about the mysterious Death Eaters. I looked down at the Black Star burnt into my palm and I flinched; it was burning again, and it was blood red. 

The Dark Lord was calling for me.

As painful as the burning was becoming, I forced myself to concentrate on the Death Eaters' discussion, I had missed half of it already. 

"The Dark Lord has entrusted me with this information. I can not betray Him…the consequences are too fearful to even imagine." Squeaked a voice I recognized as Wormtail's.

"Speak now, or we will torture the information out of you." Growled an angry voice, it was Avery's crony, Nott.

"He…He has a grand plan that will destroy the Wizarding world…" answered Wormtail in a terrified voice.

"Tell me something that we didn't know." Hissed Avery suavely. I heard a squeal of pain and cackles of evil laughter.

"He will kill the girl…He will kill the double crosser…and He will imprison the other one. He knows all. He knows what they are up to." Shrieked Wormtail madly. He seemed to be deranged. 

I gasped, from the searing pain and from shock. He knew. And He was coming for me now…what hope was there? 

__

Was there any hope for us at all? Or would I be made to sleep with Hermione to give Voldemort His precious bloody powerful heir and then thrown into the dungeons, powerless to stop Him from killing the last two good people in this filthy place?! I thought bitterly.

__

There is always hope. I smiled weakly at that before fainting from the agony of the Black Star.

--

Voldemort paced around Hermione's room restlessly as He waited for His heir to appear. When Draco failed to do so, His red eyes narrowed and He smiled fiendishly. He knew what he was up to, He knew everything that went on in the manor, though He feigned ignorance to strengthen His position. 

They would never know what would hit them tonight. 

His lips continued to curl in their horrible smile as He watched Hermione turn slowly in her sleep. He placed a soothing cool hand on her forehead and she immediately relaxed, sighing contentedly in her sleep. Her dreams were sweet and full of hope. Little did she know who was watching them too, He who watched decided that she needed a change of genre.

She then dreamt of her parents.

--

Draco's POV

I felt myself getting shaken awake, I groggily moved my head to try to focus my blurred vision.

"Draco." Said a familiar voice urgently. It was Snape.

"Professor?" I asked dizzily.

"What happened?! What are you doing here? How did you get here?" Snape demanded irately.

"I followed some Death Eaters. Then I got trapped. Then I got burnt. Then I fainted." I replied sardonically. I was regaining some alertness and I was feeling better than I had been before, I glanced briefly at the Black Star and was relieved to find it was still jet black.

"Burnt? The Black Star was burning? What cheek you have, Mr. Malfoy. You are stuck in the middle of a Death Eater passageway and you faint and you still have the impertinence to make it seem extremely normal." He seethed and then he forced my mouth open and tipped my head back to pour in some sort of foul smelling potion.

"Ugh! What the hell was that?!" I spluttered. 

"Something that makes you feel better. Now, lets get out of this place." He replied smoothly. 

He led me to the summerhouse wall and put his ear to it, checking if anyone was in it now. When he was positive it was deserted, he slid open the door and we passed through the dark summerhouse though in reality it was just a big open garage style place with heaps of Dark instruments.

I was dumfounded to find that night had already fallen and that we were going to be putting our plan into action soon. Suddenly, memories of what I had heard from the Death Eaters came rushing back and I hurriedly began to gabble to Snape.

"What on earth are you gibbering about Malfoy?!" he sneered.

"Professor, Voldemort knows that we're going to try and escape tonight. I heard it from the Death Eaters. I know He's going to stop us with whatever it takes…I don't think we should do it." I said anxiously.

"Don't worry. I have it under control. I'm more worried about Hermione, she wasn't at dinner either, though the Dark Lord was. It was extremely ominous that you weren't there either, but nevertheless I waited for you in the Rose Courtyard, and when you didn't show up, I went looking for you." He explained quietly to me. He then abruptly stopped and opened a door on the hallway we were walking down.

It was a navy blue room and by the various potions on the shelves I knew that it was his room. He quickly shut the door and furtively locked it with several Locking Charms. After that, he beckoned me to follow him into the main part of his room. He sat himself down in a rigid looking chair, which left me a sofa to lounge in.

"Draco. There is something I have to tell you now." He said evenly. I nodded for him to continue.

"Do you have faith in the Dark Lord?" he asked tentatively, "After all you are His heir…you have His blood running through your veins…"

"No." I replied firmly.

"Then concentrate on that thought for a moment." 

I did and in disbelief, I watched as the navy blue elegance, and the extravagant furnishings disappeared from Snape's room and I saw that I wasn't sitting on a sofa, but on a pile of dirty blankets piled on top of a stiff chair. My eyes widened in disgust and I quickly stood up, drawing my attention to my robes and I gasped, they weren't robes…they were nothing close! They were rags, torn, thin and flimsy, and I realized that we were sitting in a dank dungeon with water dripping from the ceiling.

"What –"

"You have been Disillusioned by the Dark Lord." Replied Snape simply. 

"Can you –"

"No. I too, have been Disillusioned, and it is so strong that none can pull free from its bewitching grasp…except for you and Hermione. It is the Dark Lord's strongest asset, apart from His command of the Unforgivable Curses and His near immortality." Explained Snape sharply. 

I looked at him, just absorbing the information and he suddenly smiled at me.

"You have taken the first true step towards the Light side, Draco." He stated with a type of joy that I had never seen in him, "You have denounced Him."

Hey everyone!

Again, I apologize for the long time it took me to upload this chapter. Sorry!

Well, I hope you guys like the way the story's going, its got a lot of planning in it, and romance will come soon again =) oh, and I'm going to the change the genre…I don't think 'drama' suits this story now…its more like action adventure…

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Thanks to the great people that reviewed last chapter! Here's your replies…

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Brandi – I'm glad u like Voldemort being nice…well he isn't really being nice…its just a different side to him… I guess =P thanks for reviewing!

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PurrtyFlirty – wow. You stayed up until when reading this?! Omg…I am so honoured =) haha, and what do you mean you hate the 'hey everyones'?! Say thanks to your friend for me too =)

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Lena –um…I don't know where to start…thank you so much for your compliments…I was so pleased and happy =) so you're another person who likes the way Voldemort is? Well, he's a bit more…evil in this chapter…anyway, thanks so much for your review!

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Katrina Darkus – Lol, I hate the thought of Hermione with Harry and Ron… its just wrong…they're such good friends…why ruin the unique bond by falling for each other? =P sorry, that's just my opinion…don't mind me…

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Mogli the Witch – you share my point of view on OotP =) it really was quite disappointing eh? So, you usually ready NC-17? Well, I'm sorry my story is nowhere near that…but thanks for your review!

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Divine Sorceress – hey again! Sorry I didn't do the Draco's POV…it didn't fit in with the story and it would stretch the story a bit…sorry again! But thanks for coming to review again =)

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Jinxy – Hey! I'm glad you like the story! Thanks so much for your review…did you like the rest of the story?

Alright, peace out!

[don't forget to review]

psychohart


	26. The Escapade Part I

Never Say Never

Chapter 25 – The Escapade Part I

Disclaimer: None of the characters in my story belong to me, they belong to J.K Rowling, but I own the plot, and the names Daniela and Marc Lestrange. =)

On finding that he had in fact denounced the Dark Lord, Snape urged Draco to go to Hermione's room and take her back to his room, as he had already arranged for a diversion to take Voldemort away from His guardianship over Hermione. 

Draco obeyed and within moments he was sneaking quietly through the maze of dark and dank corridors in the manor with a cat-like grace. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the neglect and putridity that the corridors emitted; no longer blinded by the Disillusion. 

As he emerged on the hallway near Hermione's room, he couldn't help but try to find the place in the wallpaper [not filled with sweet smelling roses, but rather filled with holes and god knows what else], which opened onto the passageway where Snape had found him. But to his disappointment, he realized that it was a pointless exercise because he didn't have his wand to open it.

Making his way to Hermione's door, he pressed his ear against the wood and tried to detect the sound of Voldemort or His supporters in the room, but was relieved to find that it seemed to be completely silent. He could only hope that Voldemort had already been fooled by the distraction that Snape had provided. 

He took a deep breath and tried to open the door, but realized that it had been magically locked. He racked his brain trying to think about what to do and then thought that maybe he should try the impossible.

"_Alohomora_!"

Hermione's POV

I stretched languidly and woke up with a smile on my face, I felt so warm and toasty and utterly content with myself. But the unpleasant circumstances in which I remembered myself becoming unconscious in the first place soon surfaced in my mind. 

I hastily sat up and looked at my surroundings and I was relieved to find that I was in my room and that it was already dark outside; the night was already here. I thought back and remembered that I had woken up once during my rest and had found my room filled with Death Eaters all quarrelling with each other and Voldemort in the thick of it all screaming at them.

After that I had fallen back into unconsciousness and I knew that I hadn't had a dreamless sleep for sure… there were the dreams of life after escaping from here, there were dreams of Draco… and dreams of my parents…

I shook my head in an effort to clear my mind. I needed to get to Draco and ask him about the plan that Snape had to get us out of here, and how to get back to Hogwarts etc. I was just about to get out of my bed when my white door burst open with Draco's voice crying "_Alohomora!"_

Sure enough, his platinum blond head soon appeared, and the broad grin he gave me made me feel even warmer inside and I soon realized in shock that he didn't have his wand with him.

"Draco!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him, "Did you just perform Wandless Magic?!"

"Well, yes! Of course I did." He replied slyly, returning my embrace, "Don't you dare underestimate me, Hermione."

"I… I never knew you could do that!" I cried in half exasperation, half amazement.

"Neither did I, actually. But I thought that since I was Voldemort's heir, I could do anything." He responded arrogantly, though by the smile tugging at his lips I knew he was joking.

"Wow. I am so impressed…" I said a little breathlessly, then I asked, "Where is Voldemort, by the way?"

His expression changed then and his sunny expression soon faded back into his former cold, emotionless mask. He then related to me what had happened since I had fallen unconscious and I listened in awe.

"Tonight?!" I said vehemently, when he told me that Snape had arranged for us to leave soon.

"That was exactly my reaction…but just wait. I have some more urgent things to tell you." He responded calmly, "Voldemort knows exactly what's going on around here…He knows that Snape is part of the Light side and that we're planning to leave."

I gasped in horror, but Draco waved that aside and continued on.

"That's not the point. Snape says that regardless of the situation, we're going to leave here tonight at midnight because its our only chance. Anyway, I followed some Death Eaters into a secret passageway outside your room and I heard some stuff…but I also felt the Black Star burn. I didn't obey His call because I wanted to hear more things. I ended up fainting from the pain of it, and Snape found me in the passage an hour ago."

"Oh god, Draco. Are you feeling alright now?" I exclaimed worriedly. He brushed my hand away from his face gently and I saw that he was impatient to go on.

"Well, then he took me to his room and he told me that he was going to create a diversion to get Voldemort out of here so that I could fetch you back to my room." There was a pause as he took a deep breath, "And then, he told me to do something that opened up my eyes to the truth." 

I looked quizzically at him and he looked intently back at me.

"Hermione, tell me, do you have any faith in Voldemort?" he asked firmly.

I gave him a look of complete disbelief. Why the hell was he asking me that question?! Didn't he already know what I would reply?!

"I need an answer now. This is very important." He prompted.

"Of course not! I thought that you would already know that!" I cried out angrily. Did he think that I was really on the Dark side?!

"Calm down. I need you to focus on the thought that you don't have faith in Voldemort." He said steadily. I gave him a strange look, but complied with his request.

As I did so, I watched in shock as the elaborate furnishings in my room vanished and were replaced with desolation. The beautiful room was no more; my warm quilt was just a filthy blanket, my mattress hard and thin, the armchair was only a broken stool, my cushions and pillows nothing more than pieces of rock. The room was now dark and several cobwebs hung in the corners.

My robes were ragged and torn, and I looked in panic at Draco. 

"What did you do to me?!" I asked frantically.

"I opened up your eyes to Voldemort's deceit." He said simply, "Or rather, I took off the Disillusionment Charm placed over everyone in this manor. Apparently, the charm keeps His supporters loyal, and is bewitched to fulfil each person's desires. What I mean is that this room is what it is because you wanted it to be like that, not because of His thoughtfulness." 

I gazed for a moment still stunned from this new piece of knowledge. I slowly recovered and spoke haltingly to Draco.

"When do we leave?" I asked.

"Now is probably a good time. It leaves us about 20 minutes to get to my room." He replied, gently helping me up from the musty mattress and its blankets. 

"Alright." I mumbled. 

As we began to get out of the room, something suddenly caught my eye. The photo album was still on the now dilapidated table and it bore no sign of the Disillusionment Charm; it was still as elegant looking as ever and the silver script still glistened.

"Draco…" I murmured, and he followed my gaze to the album and his eyes narrowed at the sight of it.

"What is it, Hermione? Have you looked at it?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yes I have. It's my family photo album and there's photos in there…though it stops only after a few pages." I suddenly sounded wistful, and I'm sure Draco heard it in my voice too.

"Well, I think that we should just ignore it – "

But as he said those words, the very photo album suddenly illuminated and it flipped open by itself, and the pages ruffled until it came to a blank page where new photos materialized as we watched on in shock.

"What do you think now, Draco?" I asked breathlessly. He just looked at me, awestruck. 

"I think…that we should take a look." He stammered, and taking my hand in his, we walked back together to the photo album.

We looked at the first photo, and I saw that it was my parents, smiling and waving up at us. The next photo was of my parents too, but with a baby crying, held in Daniela's arms.

"You were a fat baby, Hermione." Commented Draco, and I gave him a Look, which shut him up.

We moved on to the next page and I saw with shock, that it was a photo of the flashback that I had had as we crossed the bridge to the Lemon Grove this morning. Someone had taken a photo of Voldemort talking to my father at the bridge. 

The photo on the opposite page was equally shocking; it was of the room which I had seen in my last vision, where my father had fought off the Magical Enforcement Officer whilst holding me, except it was now…

"That's your room, Mione." Draco remarked, raising an eyebrow at me. I looked back at him, my eyes wide. I couldn't believe that I didn't realize that the room was the room I was standing in now…

I ignored Draco and flicked to the next page, which was of us, in our Hogwarts robes, and it was my turn to raise an eyebrow at Draco, he shrugged and nodded at the next page which depicted two Black Stars on two hands.

"Is this a slide show of your life or what?!" exclaimed Draco, he looked as puzzled as I was but nevertheless, we turned to the next page.

It showed Draco and I being confronted by Voldemort, and we were cowering in fear in a corner while He was cackling. I looked fearfully at Draco and whispered,

"Do you think that this is the future?" I asked. He didn't have an answer for me. He just kept on looking at the next photo.

It showed us holding a baby, in the same pose as Daniela and Marc had held me in the previous photograph; but we weren't smiling, we had bags under our eyes, our frames were skeletal, and we looked undernourished. But most of all, we looked defeated.

"Wh-why is there a photo of us like that?…" I asked in a stutter.

"Because that is your future if you choose to defy the Dark Lord." Answered a voice from behind us, and both Draco and me jumped at hearing it. Then we turned around.

I gasped in astonishment; it was my father, Marc Lestrange. Our eyes met and he gently smiled at me, studying me from head to toe. Then he stepped forward and pulled me into a hug.

"Oh, Hermione…it has been so long since we've seen you. We have missed you so much, that our hearts ache at the thought that you had been taken away from us, and made to live with Muggles, as a Muggle, never knowing your true heritage…" he said with much emotion in his voice.

"How did you get here?" was all I could manage to get out. It confused me; I thought that he was supposed to be in Azkaban. 

"Oh, I am actually still in Azkaban, technically, but spiritually, I am here, with you." He replied astutely. 

I looked and sure enough, his outline wasn't solid, but rather fuzzy; just as Harry had described Tom Riddle to have looked in the Chamber of Secrets. I guessed that he had been preserved in the photo album all this time. I still gazed at him wonderingly.

"Where is Daniela Lestrange?" asked Draco quietly. Marc – well my father's eyes swiveled to where Draco stood and he eyed him for a moment, before nodding, as though giving him his approval. 

"Oh, Daniela will be here soon enough. She has to wait until the Dementors finish feeding her before attempting to appear here, because they can sense when a soul has departed." Answered Marc smoothly.

"Doesn't a soul departing mean that the person is dead?" I asked curiously.

"No! Well, perhaps for Muggles, but for us, it is not so. We have used Dark magic to come here." He seemed to be enjoying his time here, and neither Draco nor I felt compelled to stop questioning him.

"Why are you still sane, Lestrange? Isn't being locked up in Azkaban for such a long time meant to have some sort of an effect on you?" asked Draco furtively.

"Draco, you must understand that it is not as easy as you think it is to break us powerful Dark wizards down…we are kept alive and sane simply by the thought of the Dark Lord." Marc replied in a matter of fact tone.

Before I could ask him another question, Daniela Lestrange had appeared before us, and was smiling at me too. Her eyes housed motherly affection and I saw tears welling up in her eyes and she too, came forward to embrace me.

"Hermione. It has been too long since we last saw each other, my love." She choked out, before she began to cry freely. I hugged her back, but I didn't know what to say back to her. Was I supposed to say, 'Yes, mother, it has been too long' when I couldn't even remember them at all?

Daniela suddenly broke the embrace and stepped back to get a good look at me, and upon inspection, a fresh wave of tears came gushing out as she smiled fondly at me.

"You have grown into such a beautiful young woman, Hermione. It pains me to know that I wasn't there for any part of it. You do know that if I had the choice for it to be different, you know I would've chosen to be with you." She whispered, clasping my hand in hers, "You know I would've given anything to spend my life raising you." I nodded tearfully in response. 

Though she was my mother, I felt as though I didn't know her, and that it was a stranger speaking all these lines. But as I heard her speak them, I heard the sincerity and heart-felt emotion in her words, and to my shock, tears were sliding down my cheeks too.

"Don't cry, dearest. Mother is here now." She said with a smile and she wiped my tears away. I smiled back at her, wanting to cherish this moment when I had finally met my real parents. I didn't object to her calling herself my mother, but I didn't acknowledge it either.

I was aware that Draco was observing the scene in front of him but I had no idea as what was going through his mind. I was anxious to sneak a glance at him, but when I did, I saw that he had a calm, collected expression on his face, which betrayed nothing. 

Suddenly Marc spoke again, coming to put a comforting arm around Daniela's shoulder.

"We have finally been reunited, though I had hoped that the circumstances could've been different. But we are here for a reason, and that reason is to give you some guidance about the choice you are about to be given." He said plainly. Now Draco's attention had been captured, and he listened attentively.

"Hermione, it has come to our attention that you are seeking to throw your destiny away to run back to the fool, Dumbledore's side." Continued Marc shrewdly, Draco and I listened with indifference, "Do you think that it is a wise idea to forsake what the Fates have already planned for you? You are going to be the most powerful witch in Wizarding history! How can you throw away something like that?!"

"Does it matter whether or not I am at Voldemort's side?" I coolly asked. My parents seemed taken aback but Daniela was the first to recover her composure.

"No…well it is obviously more preferable to be at His side, as you are His heir, and if you do stay, then you will be in control of the world, my dear, after you help the Dark Lord regain His power." She said sternly.

"Don't listen to a word they say, Hermione." Muttered Draco in my ear. I turned at gave him a strange glance, replying in an undertone,

"They're my parents Draco. I have to listen to them." 

"Who listens to their parents these days, Hermione?! Look at those Weasel Twins!" hissed Draco.

"But I still owe it to them." I answered quickly.

"You don't owe them anything. You wouldn't be stuck in this whole business if it weren't for Voldemort, you wouldn't even have been born, most likely. They only did it to please their master, and that's all that matters." He murmured, alluding me to the raw truth. 

Daniela cut into my train of thought and this time she spoke in a less stern voice.

"Hermione, what we are trying to say is that you should stay on the Dark side because it is your destiny, and that if you had been raised by us, and not those Muggles, then you wouldn't need to choose between Light and Dark. We are your true parents, and whatever those crackpot Muggle lovers at your school tell you, your heritage is far superior to most of the Wizarding world, even among the purebloods, and most certainly the Mudbloods." 

I winced at the sound of the word 'Mudblood', but Daniela continued on, pleading with me.

"Please, for our sake, and your own, stay with the Dark Lord, and one day we can be a family again. We promise." She finished, looking tenderly at me.

I was emotionally spent, I was so shaken that I didn't know how to reply to this plea…on one hand, there was Dumbledore and Light and Harry, Ron and Hogwarts, and on the other there was Voldemort and…my parents and …Draco? No. Draco would be with me, whichever side I chose, I reassured myself.

Then suddenly I saw my decision clearly; it was as though all the pieces of the puzzle fit together. I had to choose Light, simply because that was my life; who was I trying to be, staying on the Dark side?! I, Hermione Granger, simply wasn't a Dark witch, and never would be! How stupid it was of me to even _think _that I was Dark. 

I remembered what Harry had said to me when he had spoken to Dumbledore about why Voldemort had said that they were really similar, and he had found out that Voldemort had transferred a part of himself into Harry on the night of the curse. 

He had said that he was in Gryffindor, and not Slytherin because of who he was what his character was like. It didn't matter that he was a Parselmouth, or resourceful or as Slytherin-like as a wizard could be; what mattered was what was on the inside, not the abilities.

So now I knew that even though I had been born into the Dark society, that I was destined to be the most powerful witch in Wizarding history because of the Dark Lord, I also knew that it didn't matter because I wasn't Dark. Not at all. 

I smiled in triumph at my parents and at Draco in reaching a final decision about all this Light and Dark business. I momentarily debated the idea of hurting them in the process of what I was about to do to them, but then realized that Dark magic should help keep them alive anyway.

"Mother, father, I have reached a decision about all this." I stated evenly, and they beamed at me calling them my parents, and encouraged me to go on, "But I'm afraid I'm not a family type of girl, or a Dark one…so I'm sorry. I know that I'm not that type of person on the inside, and its up to me to choose my destiny, not you. So I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you. It's been a pleasure to meet you both, and I'm sure we'll meet again, but for now, take care and good bye."

I smiled one last time at my parents before looking at the photo album, and muttering under my breath, _"Incendio"_. The photo album burst into flame, and my parents vanished. Tears flowed openly down my face as they did so, and I turned to Draco with a tearstreaked face. 

"God, Hermione…that was a bit harsh…I mean its one thing to completely denounce them, and its another to make them burn." He pointed out with a smirk on his face.

"I've calculated that they won't die, because of the Dark magic in the bond, but it leaves us free to go now." I said in a strangled voice.

"Don't worry about it Hermione. You did the right thing. You didn't let them get the better of you. And, you performed Wandless Magic!" We grinned at each other, then he pulled me close to him, and I relaxed for a moment, finding great comfort in his embrace. We just stood there for a moment, in my dark dungeon-like room, in its run-down state, holding each other. 

"I think we should go now. Its probably past midnight already, and Snape is already waiting for us." I said reluctantly, pulling back from the hug.

"It's midnight now. If we hurry, we can make it." 

We quickly left my room, and we were on our way to Draco's room, but we had barely even turned out of the corridor which my room had been on when we heard something that made us think twice.

To be Continued… 

Hey everyone, 

Yeah, the usual sorry for the such a long delay in between updates, its all school's fault. But now, at least I have the plot for the next chapter or two, and it'll be faster to update. Stay tuned for Part II =)

Thanks so much for supporting me you all, and I hope that you'll continue to do so =) Now, I have to do some shout outs to my beautiful reviewers,

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PurrtyFlirty – thanks for your support…for Draco =P

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Brandi – What I meant by the 'Disillusion' is that He placed an enchantment on them to make them think that everything was really beautiful and grand and all that, but in reality it was really revolting and stuff. Its kinda a symbol of how he manipulates people to his advantage. Thanks for your review!

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Cherry – thanks for the encouragement!

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Meg – Oh, so it isn't the same person? I'm sorry for that… lol =P Thanks for the review, and its ok that you didn't get to review the other chapter.

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Ellie – I'm glad you decided to express your opinion on that, I'm sorry about it seeming as though its another one of those, 'omg I'm in love with her overnight' stories, but I think what I tried to do was to make him kinda be foreign to idea of love, well, true love because he had never really loved anyway before, and he didn't knowwhat he was feeling for Hermione. Thanks for the criticism.

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Regina-terrae – thanks for your encouragement, I'm glad you like it =)

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Little Witch – You think its awesome? Well, gee…thanks =)

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Windswept Phoenix – Lol, its kinda short-lived telepathy right? Haha, thanks but I dun need anymore help for the bold/italics stuff =) 

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pRePsMuStDiE22 – whoa, is my story that important to you?! =S um…wow, I'm really flattered…oh yeah, and I'm sorry there's not much romance yet. Just wait! =) thanks for the review.

Cheers and happy reading,

psychohart


	27. The Escapade Part II

Never Say Never

Chapter 26 – The Escapade Part II

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except Daniela and Marc Lestrange, and the plot.

Continued from last chapter…

Draco's POV

We stiffened against the wall as we heard the hissing sounds get louder and Hermione glanced at me fearfully. Where was Potter's damn Invisibility Cloak when we actually needed it?! I pursed my lips and stepped out into the corridor where the snake was coming towards us.

"What are you going to do, Draco?!" whispered Hermione in a panicked voice. I ignored her and looked at the snake, willing myself to call on my 'power'. Potter wasn't the only who could speak to snakes.

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Don't come any closer, snake. Who sent you, and what is your name?

The snake looked back at me, its red eyes gleaming and its forked tongue flicking out of its mouth mockingly. But it obeyed me and stopped coming closer to us. I heard Hermione's gasp of surprise, but I still refused to break eye contact with the snake.+

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My Master sent me, Heir of Voldemort, the Master. My name is Nagini. I will not hurt you.

Somehow that name stirred something in my memory, and I stared blankly at the snake for a few moments before realizing that this was the snake that Father had told me about, the one that returned Voldemort to power two years ago. 

"What is it saying, Draco?" asked Hermione, looking torn between impressed and afraid.

"Relax, it won't hurt us. Just wait, I'll ask some more questions." 

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Why did He send you? 

He just wanted me to keep an eye on you.

Can you let us pass?

Why?

We are going somewhere.

If a snake had eyebrows, I swear to god that this one would be raising them at the moment. It was giving me that Look and it had the nerve to slide slowly closer to us. 

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I will not let anyone pass unless I know where and why you are going. Those were my orders.

Well, will you let us pass if I tell you that we were just heading to my room and we were planning on staying there for the night?

There was the Look again. It hissed once again, bulbous eyes flashing, and seemed to be contemplating what I had just said. I took this moment to project a thought to Hermione.

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'Get ready to perform more Wandless Magic. I'm pretty sure that Nagini won't be letting us get past her.'

'You know its name?!' That was Hermione's reply and she rolled her eyes as I nodded. Then Nagini spoke again. 

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I will not let you pass, Heir of Voldemort. 

Very well then, could you please take a message to the Dark Lord for me? Tell him I'll be here waiting for Him to explain what He really wants to do with us. 

How do I know that you will not move the moment I leave?

You have my word. 

Nagini hissed once and her eyes flashed dangerously, but to my immense relief, slithered out of view. I hadn't thought that it would be that easy to get rid of her…but I guess snakes can be simpletons too.

"Oh Draco! Thank god it's gone." Hermione exclaimed and she grasped my arm tightly. I smiled down at her, but the moment was short lived when I realized that we had only a little time to make a getaway.

"Cmon, we have to get out of here." I said hurriedly, pulling her along to where I had seen the Death Eaters first go into the passageway. Now that the Disillusionment charm was off, I could see where the door of the passageway started, but the fact was that it still required a wand to open it.

"What are you doing? We're running out of time. The snake might be back anytime." Hermione said warningly. Then her eyes widened in shock as she looked back to the place we had just come from. I followed her gaze and jumped when I saw what she was looking at.

"Oh shit." I muttered. There was a mass of slithering, scaly bodies coming towards us, their eyes all fixed on us. But they were still quite a distance away.

"Draco, do something!" Hermione frantically whispered.

"Er…we need a wand to be able to get through this door." I said stupidly, my mind numbed by the oncoming snakes.

"Didn't you say we needed to perform more Wandless Magic?! Just do the Alohomora charm again!" she pointed out, rolling her eyes at me.

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"Alohomora." 

The door slid open and it revealed the same dark passageway as I had travelled down this afternoon. 

"Lets go!" I said quickly, dragging Hermione in, and feeling completely relieved as again, we were saved from being devoured by snakes. The door had shut behind us and again there was that sense of safety, but I knew that it wouldn't last. Voldemort would have to be after us now. 

"I can't see anything." Hermione said despairingly. 

"Don't worry, just take my hand. I'll lead you. I've been down here before." I reassured her, and her slim hand found its way into mine.

We set off, I wanted to go as fast as we could, because it was only a matter of time before Voldemort found us, and if we could get out of the estate before He found us, then we'd have so much more chance of surviving. I was pretty sure that He'd be pretty angry by now. 

"Ow." Hermione had tripped over something and I felt her fall lightly behind me. She didn't get up.

"What's wrong?" I asked, seeing her outline against the darkness. Her eyes were shining, and she seemed to be biting her lip.

"It hurts." She whimpered clutching what seemed to be her knee. I reached out and tried to find where her forehead was, and I smoothed her hair back from her face comfortingly. 

"Can you still walk?" 

"I hope so…" 

God, she seemed so fragile right now, I mean she'd just been through a lot. She had found out that she was Disillusioned, she had met her real parents…and then sent them back to Azkaban. She had had to make a decision, a hard one, and then she had performed Wandless Magic. And all that happened after she had collapsed out near the summerhouse, which was where we were heading right now. Gee isn't life ironic?! 

"Hey…don't cry…we're almost there. Just a little more and we'll be out of here." I said soothingly. I placed my arms around her sobbing body, and folded my arms around her. Her body continued to tremble with almost silent sobs, and I felt her lean against my chest.

"I'm sorry about this…its just that…what I just did has caught up with me. I think I was in a state of shock after meeting my parents, and then all that stuff with the snakes sort of took away the shock. And now its back, and the reality is sinking in. I'm never going to see my parents again." She explained in a hoarse voice. I just continued to hold her, and I placed a light kiss on her brow.

"It's alright. I understand, you don't have to tell me." I assured her, and I felt her relax, and her sobbing start to stop. 

"Ok, I think its time that we go." She said softly. I could almost see her smile as I refused to let go of her. But then, a searing pain on my palm that I knew Hermione felt as well ruined the moment. Although I couldn't see it, I knew that the Black Star was burning blood red again. He was coming.

"We've got to run. Can you do it?" I asked concernedly, ignoring the pain.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." She replied, urging me to go.

So we ran the last part of the way, through the twists and turns until we arrived at a dead end; the summerhouse wall. We were nearly out of breath, and I took a moment to steady myself. 

"Are you ready?" I asked Hermione, she didn't say anything, but I felt her nod in the darkness. 

So I slid the door open and I saw that everything was the same as I had left it about an hour ago, all the instruments were still there…except there was something different about it.

Two red eyes flashed on the other side of the summerhouse. In the dim moonlight streaming in through cracks in the dark curtains I could make out a flat nose and thin lips twisted in a cruel smile. 

Voldemort.

Well it wasn't as if I was expecting anything less from Him. I knew that in the end He would be there to block our way out, but I had still clung stubbornly to a shred of hope that maybe He would turn a blind eye and let us pass. 

Hermione stepped in after me, and I saw her stare defiantly at Voldemort. She wasn't afraid at all. I probably would've been like that too except I had noticed one very big problem. He had a wand…we didn't. Lord Voldemort, the most powerful sorcerer of our time after Dumbledore still used a wand to amplify His magic. 

"My two dear Heirs! How pleasant it is to see you both here." He greeted us mockingly. That smile never left His face…the same way Dumbledore's serene one never left his either. 

We didn't reply, and just continued to stand motionless, glaring at the sorcerer who had made us who we were today. It was He that moved first, letting His hand elegantly sweep through the air, making all the instruments and furniture in the room disappear. Now there was nothing standing between Him and us.

"I must say, you two have made quite a brave attempt to get here. First you've taken the Disillusionment charm off yourselves, a smart move. Then you sent Nagini back to me, banking on the fact that you had some time to get away. But what you didn't know was that Nagini was with reinforcements…" He said still smiling. 

"We escaped anyway." Hermione said bluntly.

"You did indeed. Now, shall we duel?" Voldemort asked unexpectedly. Both of us started with surprise. 

"But a wizard's duel requires wands, and a second doesn't it?" I replied with a question.

"I am not a wizard, but a sorcerer, so the usual rules don't apply for me. But I have a wand, and you have a second so we'll say that we're even, shall we?" Voldemort answered slyly. I opened my mouth to protest, but Hermione cut me off.

"Just let it be. There's two of us. We will defeat him, have faith Draco." She whispered encouragingly. I nodded, and turned back to Voldemort.

Before I could even react, He had hit me with the Cruciatus curse and I crumpled in a heap to the ground writhing in pain. God…all I was conscious of was complete agony, though I bit my lip to stop myself from crying out. I was reminded over and over again of how I was disciplined as a young boy in the same way. 

"Draco!" I could faintly hear Hermione cry out. Immediately the curse was lifted. Voldemort advanced, and I could now feel the Black Star continuing to burn. Then Hermione went down next to me, and I watched helplessly as she convulsed, her eyes rolling into the back of her head, and then, I saw blood begin to glisten on her lips as she too tried to fight the urge to scream. 

__

"Wingardium Leviosa!" I shouted looking directly at Voldemort's wand. Unfortunately, it didn't really do much, except lift the wand about half a metre up into the air before coming down again, which enabled Voldemort to grasp it once again.

But it did do a lot in the sense that it released Hermione from her pain, and let down Voldemort's guard, because coincidentally at that moment Snape came through the passageway with our wands and shouted out to us.

"Hermione!" He shouted, throwing her wand over to where she lay on the ground, and we watched, in anticipation as the wand soared towards us…

And landed in the outstretched palm of the Dark Lord who sneered at Hermione as He snapped it cleanly in half. 

"No!" she screamed out in grief, "No…" 

"Oh, but it is only what you deserve, my heir who seeks to defy me." He said sweetly, coming down to eye level with Hermione, before slapping her soundly on the cheek. She flinched, but her eyes continued to show hatred, which Voldemort realized, was dangerous for Him.

On the other hand, as He was preoccupied with Hermione and her defiance, I was motioning for Snape to throw me my wand but perhaps it was by some weird humour that the gods decided that that was the moment Voldemort would turn and Stun Snape making him drop my wand, and fall glassy-eyed to the ground.

"Damn." I muttered under my breath. 

"My heirs, this is hardly what I would call a good fight. I didn't breed you two for nothing…you are both meant to be the great warriors of your time – brave, fearless, skilled, loyal…those were the things I made you to be. Even without your wands I would expect it to be easy for you both to overpower me." He said mockingly. We said nothing, as we were both temporarily immobile, due to the draining side effects of the Cruciatus curse.

"Well perhaps I was wrong to create you two…perhaps this was one of my failed experiments. But I am certain now that it is the end for you both." He said in a matter-of-fact tone. He seemed even bored as He watched us through the glittering rubies that He had for eyes. 

All was silent for awhile as His declaration hung in the air…the tension was tangible, and I looked at Hermione to see what she was doing. After all, she was the only one who could really bring down the Dark Lord…The One. And all the hope I could possibly have was riding on her shoulders. 

She was still glaring at Voldemort, and it seemed as though they hadn't broken eye contact for quite awhile. Minutes passed, but neither of them seemed to be backing down. Then, she narrowed her eyes even more, and spoke in an icy tone. 

"You're wrong." She snarled, breaking the eerie silence and Voldemort's eyes widened, and He seemed to falter under her deadly glare. Suddenly He seemed to have come to realize something, and His wand slipped out of His hands.

__

"Crucio." Hermione spat out angrily, and she seemed to radiate a sort of power as she stood up, looking down on Voldemort who was writhing on the ground His cries of pain echoing through the empty summerhouse. I watched on completely awed.

"That was for the wizards and Muggles that you ever tortured." She said calmly, taking off the curse for a split second. He stilled.

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"Crucio." 

Now again He was on the floor His screams louder than before, and I was marveling at how _powerful_ Hermione really was. She took a step closer to where He was. Then dead silence came as she took the curse off again.

"That was for Harry."

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"Crucio."

The same scene replayed before my eyes, but this time when she took the curse off, she was openly crying. 

"That was for all the families you ever tore apart." She whispered.

And then that deep hatred and loathing came into her eyes again and I could swear that they were black. She had a Dark aura surrounding her as she uttered the final words –

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"Avada Kedavra." 

To be Continued…

Hey everyone,

So sorry for the long long long wait…I had writers block =P I know, this was an er…'exciting' chapter and I should've had it up like a month ago…sorry again guys. Well I have also been working on a new story, which will be up like straight after this one finishes… [im planning on making this a 30 chapter story, so it'll be over pretty soon… =(] 

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and I hope that this chapter wasn't too bad…and stay tuned for the next chapter, I promise that it'll be good…hopefully. =P 

I'm too tired to answer reviews, but I'll answer them next chapter ok? 

Happy reading,

psychohart


	28. The Escapade Part III

Never Say Never

Chapter 27 – The Escapade Part III

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot and Daniela and Marc Lestrange. 

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A/N: _important notice – please leave your email in your reviews if you want me to send an email alert to you every time I update this story. Thanks! =)_

Continued from last chapter…

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Setting – Draco and Hermione are in the summerhouse dueling with Voldemort. Hermione has just cast the _"Avada Kedavra"_ on Voldemort…

Voldemort had been trying to crawl towards His wand, and was hit by the speeding green light that was so familiar to Him. He fell instantly, glassy-eyed like Snape was, but there was a certainty about the way that He was lying that made Him really, and truly dead.

"You did it Hermione!" I exclaimed, moving across the room to sweep her into a warm embrace. But she looked back at me with a shocked expression, she had returned to her natural eye colour and it seemed as though it was a different person who had finally defeated Voldemort.

"Oh god…how did I…I don't know what came over me…I just felt so much hatred for Him that I wanted to kill Him so badly…" she stammered, going limp in my arms.

"Shh…it's alright. God I'm so proud of you…you defeated the Dark Lord, Hermione!" I tried to soothe her, but she just kept on crying.

"I…killed someone Draco. Even if it was Him. I killed someone with an Unforgivable curse…" she said emphatically. She looked completely mortified, shooting nervous glances at His dead body.

"Its not like the Ministry of Magic is going to make Dumbledore expel you. How could they?! You defeated the greatest enemy there is today, and even if it was with an Unforgivable curse, shouldn't they be thanking you instead?" I reasoned with her. She seemed to calm down as the logic of it sank in.

"You're right. I didn't do anything wrong…its just such a shock. How the hell did I do it?! I didn't even have a wand with me…why didn't you do anything, Draco? Why were you just standing there watching us?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I…I guess err…I was shocked too. I didn't want to interrupt your little staring contest thing." I answered quickly, a bit too fast for my liking, but Hermione seemed to accept it. I knew that Snape didn't want Hermione to know that she was The One yet.

"Should we wake up Snape?" she asked tentatively.

"I don't know…why not let the man who was trying to help us just lie there, Stunned?" I said sarcastically. 

"Oh shut up Draco." Hermione replied looking a bit more cheerful than before. 

She then took my hand and guided me towards Snape's body and she muttered _"Enervate" _under her breath. As we watched Snape's eyes come back into focus, and his body gain mobility again, I remarked to Hermione,

"You don't even need your wand anymore." 

"Yeah…" she smiled, then her face fell as she remembered the fate of her wand.

"Don't worry. We'll get you a new one." I said, anticipating her mouth opening to grieve about it.

"But it won't be the same will it?" she said sadly. I was about to something in response to it, but the Professor's faint groan as he woke up interrupted us.

"What happened? Is He gone?" Snape asked frantically.

"He's gone forever, thanks to Hermione." I answered, pointing to where He lay, lifeless.

"Ahh…Miss Granger…I can not express in words the feeling that I have at the moment. Voldemort gone! At last there will be peace in the Wizarding world. I can scarcely believe it!" Snape was beginning to ramble, clutching Hermione's hand tightly. There were tears of joy in his eyes, and both of us were taken aback at this open display of emotion from our Potions Master.

"Professor…I…we….err…" Hermione was lost for words, looking at him with tears flowing freely down his cheeks. She moved away and took to standing a little away, sensing that he needed some space.

"I'm sorry about this. It's just that the sense of relief I feel is so overwhelming…and the joy in finally defeating Him." Snape said hoarsely. 

"No worries, Professor." I assured him. But then Snape seemed to snap back to reality from wherever his euphoria had taken him.

"Draco. Exactly _how _did Hermione kill Him?" he asked urgently.

"Well…she used Avada Kedavra…" I replied slowly.

"She used what?!" 

"Avada Kedavra. Does it matter?" I responded calmly.

"Yes it does. It is an Unforgivable curse! Don't you know that she could be taken to Azkaban for that?!" Snape said angrily.

"Professor, that's true, she could be, but she won't be because she killed Voldemort with it. As if the Ministry would arrest the person who killed their greatest fear." I reasoned.

"But the principle is the same. If you use the Unforgivable curse on any other human being, then you've broken the law." He argued, 

"Dumbledore will not let the Ministry arrest her." I said firmly.

"I hope so." Snape muttered darkly. I gave him a strange look before asking him a vital question.

"How are we going to get back to Hogwarts?" 

"Oh yes, of course…take these." Snape replied, handing me a bottle of crystal potion and a box of matches.

"What are they for?" I asked incredulously.

"The matches are all Portkeys back to Hogwarts, so you can take one each. But before you take the Portkey, please take a sip of the potion. It will take you an hour back in time so that you are able to inform Dumbledore of the situation before it actually happens so that he can make arrangements. Go, and be careful." Snape answered.

I nodded, and walked over to where Hermione was now standing. I held out the potion to her, and she looked at me questioningly.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's a potion that Snape made to take us an hour back in time. And these matches are Portkeys back to Hogwarts." I explained. She didn't question me further, and instead reached for the potion.

"I guess we take this first." Hermione said with a sigh. I nodded, and she took a sip of it, and disappeared without a sound. 

I turned around and gave Snape one last look before swallowing the rest of the potion. I felt myself being sucked into a void, but it felt quite different from taking a Portkey. Colours rushed around me before I landed solidly on my feet in the exact spot I was standing an hour later. 

Hermione smiled as I appeared, and we looked around at the dark summerhouse…what it was the hour before He was finally defeated. 

Hermione caught my eye and she held my glance and as cliched as it seems, the world seemed to fade away as we gazed at each other. I felt myself moving closer to her and her eyes closed in anticipation as I leant in to kiss her. 

Vaguely as I wondered why we were doing this here when we were back in time, the magic moment was ruined by the sound of footsteps coming from the passageway. I think we both groaned at the same time. 

"Draco. The matches." Hermione whispered, regaining her wits. I opened the box, and we both took a match, and that familiar feeling of a hook behind my navel took over. Again there was that swirling sensation but only moments later we had landed on solid ground. 

We were somewhere near Hagrid's Hut knowing now that we had little time to inform Dumbledore of what was going to happen in fifty-minutes, we hurried to the castle. 

As I looked around at the peaceful grounds bathed in twilight and Hermione whose beautiful face was illuminated by the starlight, I couldn't help but smile.

It felt good to be back.

Hermione's POV

We were finally back at Hogwarts, god I didn't realize how much I had missed this place. I wondered how the rest of the school was, how Harry and Ron were doing…it seemed like forever since I had last saw them.

These thoughts kept my mind so occupied that I was a little shocked when we reached the entrance to the castle. The steps that I had once slapped Draco on…back in third year. [A/N I'm not too sure about that, my memory's a bit fuzzy] 

I smiled at him as I thought about that, and he grinned back before pushing the heavy door open. The warm lights in the entrance hall greeted us, and I saw the confused looks on a few students faces as we continued on into the corridors. 

"Hermione! You're back!" said a voice. I turned and realized that it was Neville.

"Oh Neville! I'm sorry but I can't talk at the moment. I have to get to Dumbledore…I'll see you later…and tell Harry and Ron that I'm back ok?" I shouted to him, and he beamed at me, nodding profusely. 

"Don't think you should count on that clumsy idiot to pass that on to your friends." Draco said in a low voice, disdain for Neville clearly showing in his face.

"Oh come on Draco…give him a break." I retorted, giving him a mock glare, "We've just gotten back here, and you've already turned back into a prat." 

"You think I'm a prat?!" he exclaimed loudly, causing a few girls to stare at us strangely. I rolled my eyes and chose to ignore him, and so we spent the last part of our trip to Dumbledore's office in silence.

When we got there the stone gargoyle was standing in front of the entrance, and refusing to budge even after I had shouted a long list of confectionery.

"Have you got any idea of the password?" I asked. He shook his head morosely. He seemed to have taken my silent treatment of him seriously.

"Hey, I don't really think that you're a prat." I said to him quietly, and he just smiled tiredly.

"I know." 

"Then what's eating you? We're finally back at Hogwarts…what could possibly be troubling you?" I asked curiously.

"It's…nothing." He replied shortly.

"I have a right to know, Draco. We've been through so much together. And we're…" I trailed off, not knowing what to say about him and me. Were we lovers? Or were we just two people thrown together through destiny, the keys of a prophecy? 

"We're what? Are we back to being enemies?" he shot back mockingly. 

"Oh god, you know we aren't! How could we be? How could you even think that?!" I burst out indignantly. Draco sighed before he answered softly.

"Well its just that…I just had a thought that now that we're back at Hogwarts, you'll go back to hating me and being with Potty and the Weasel."

I was a little shocked that I wasn't able to reply straight away, and Draco continued to speak.

"I'm assuming that I'm right, since you cant answer me. You know what? I don't care that I'm right…I should've known anyway. What would _you_ see in _me_? It was all about survival wasn't it? If we didn't stick together against Voldemort, then we would've had no hope…it had nothing to do with feelings." He said bitterly, turning away from me.

"Draco! What the hell is wrong with you?! You're being completely unreasonable! Nothing's the same anymore! I can't hate you even if I tried…" I exclaimed clutching his arm. He turned, his grey eyes flashing, but he didn't get a chance to reply before another voice interrupted him.

"Ah, it is good to see that the both of you are back, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger." 

We turned in the direction from which the voice came from and smiles instantly graced both of our faces when we saw Dumbledore's beaming one. 

"Professor Dumbledore! We need to tell you about something…we were trying to get into your office, but we didn't know the password." I explained, letting go of Draco's arm.

"Yes, I deduced that much from your situation. Come into my office, and we shall talk more. The password is _strawberries and cream._" He said with a wink, and the gargoyles moved, revealing the entrance.

We followed him up the spiraling staircase, both taking in the beautiful interior of his office [well actually I don't know about Draco…he was probably still sulking about our argument]. Then we entered his study and took our seats on the other side of the grand oak desk from him.

"We have much to discuss, but firstly there is something that you wish to warn me about?" Said Dumbledore seriously. I was impressed by the fact that he knew that we had a warning.

"Well, we escaped from the Lestrange estate after taking a potion from Snape that took us an hour back in time. Then we took a Portkey here…and the thing that we have to warn you about is –" I was rudely cut off by Draco who said sullenly,

"What she means to say is that she defeated Voldemort using _Avada Kedavra. _We were sent back by Snape to give you a warning about it so that you can make arrangements etc."

"Oh I see…Miss Granger I must congratulate you on this amazing feat. You defeated Voldemort single-handedly and you have rid the Wizarding world of our greatest threat at the moment. I believe that the Ministry will be absolutely relieved to hear of this!" he said merrily, eyes twinkling at me. Then he clapped his hands together and continued,

"Now I suppose the both of you are incredibly tired at the moment, so I insist that you go back to the common room from which Voldemort first took you and spend the night there. You have my permission to use magic within that room. Do not worry, I have already set up Wards to protect you from Death Eaters." 

I nodded, but I felt an odd constriction in my throat at the thought of spending a night with a very sulky Draco. He had already left the office, and I had no choice but to thank Dumbledore and hurry after him. We walked in silence once again until we had reached that fateful corridor and Draco had found the entrance to the common room and we had entered. 

"Draco."

"What." 

"Listen I'm sorry about whatever I did wrong. Can't we just forget about this stupid argument?" 

"We could…but the fact still remains. You're not doing anything wrong if we become enemies again. We've been enemies for the past five years." 

"Did you hear anything that I've said?! I _don't _want to be your enemy anymore. Why do you keep thinking that I do?!" 

"I don't know. I suppose I still don't know what we are…are we friends? More than friends or something else altogether? It's making me really insecure…like I could lose you at any moment. And I don't want that to happen…honestly." 

His eyes were downcast, and he had already taken a seat in one of those armchairs. I went to where he was sitting and made him look into my eyes. 

"Just relax about it, Draco. It won't happen. I promise." 

Then suddenly without warning he pulled me closer to him and I felt myself melt into his lean frame as he kissed me fiercely. God, I didn't even realize how long it had been since we had last done that, but all those forgotten feelings came rushing back to the surface with that kiss.

It was so fiery and I felt myself respond just as passionately after I got over the shock. My arms went around his neck and his went around my back and the kiss was getting more urgent as I felt his tongue entwine with mine…

And again the effect was ruined as we overbalanced on the armchair and slipped to the ground, a mess of tangled limbs wrapped all over each other. We stared at each other in pure shock before bursting out laughing.

"It's alright, I needed to take a breath of air anyway." Draco said with a straight face, pulling me closer to him again. I giggled and began to trace circles on his chest. 

"Well do you think that we should conjure the bed now?" I asked.

"The bed?" Draco asked with a sly look on his face.

"Yes. One bed only." I answered cheekily, pulling him to it after I had conjured a four-poster. 

He pushed me down onto the bed impatiently and our lips met in another hot kiss, as his hands ran up and down my sides. My arms went around him again, and I hurriedly undid his ragged robe, and then pulled off his shirt underneath. 

I was reminded instantly of one of our fateful meetings in the Prefect's bathroom…it seemed so long ago that those had happened…the first time I had seen him in only a towel…

Draco saw the slight smirk on my face, and he paused undoing my blouse to whisper huskily in my ear, 

"A Knut for your thoughts?" 

"Nothing…just thinking back to the incidents in the Prefect's bathroom…" 

"Ah…I remember. I told you that you have a great figure didn't I?" 

I blushed. He laughed gently, and placed butterfly kisses all along my neck, making me arch up in pleasure. 

"And I still think you have a great figure…" He grinned, and kissed me fervently again. I groaned as he touched me in several sensitive spots…and I pressed myself closer to him in response. 

He got bolder in his touch, and I suppose I did too as the innocence of it all began to fade away, and just before he made the final move, our eyes met. He understood that I was still pure and I knew at that moment that he was not, but with his experience…he made my first time perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Hey guys,

So sorry once again for the delay. I had bad writers block and lots of exams… =( Originally I had wanted to make this chapter and the last chapter all in one, but it would've been like 16 pages long so I decided to stuff that idea and make it into another chapter. 

I'm also sorry about the scene at the end…I wanted to be more graphic but I couldn't as this is a PG 13 story…and I didn't want to change it incase there were readers who would object to it so yeah…

Oh and just a note that I had the beginning of this written like as soon as the last chapter was posted, but the rest of it took me AGES to write…and it probably isn't too good and not consistent…its more of a filler chapter than an action chapter. 

Well, I hoped that you just enjoyed it anyway, and I will try and make the next chapter a faster update.

Now for the reviewers who reviewed Chapter 26 and Chapter 27 –

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Psykotik – [thanks for your compliment about my writing…im very flattered =) do you write fics too?]

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Eternal Sailor Earth – [thanks for your review, hoped you enjoyed the updates, and I read your Harry Potter and the Stranger of Sorrow, keep up the good work!]

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Meg – [thanks for your reviews on chapter 26 and 27, hoped that you liked them both…and yeah Hermione's cool isn't she? GIRL POWER hahaha =) Oh, and about a sequel…I dun think I will write one…im sorry…but I am writing a new HP story atm, also Draco and Hermione so you could try that when I post it k? =)]

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Brandi – [yeah I suppose it was a bit harsh of Hermione to do that…but yeah her parents were pretty slack. Thanks for your review! Hope you like this chapter =)]

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Little Witch – [did you like chapter 27? And do you like chapter 28? Lol, anyways thanks for your review of chapter 26]

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Quello Bello – [yeah, of course they make it out ok! Its Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger! Thanks for your review!]

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RonDsFreak – [hope you liked the update! Thanks for your review!]

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Jinxy3 – [I put a bit of romance into this chapter…hope that kinda satisfied you. Thanks for the reviews =)]

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Daggairune – [Thanks for your compliments…I'm very honoured. Hope you liked this update!]

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Ashley – [ooh…thanks for your compliment too…greatest story you've read for a long time eh? =)]

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Jstarz1329 – [glad you enjoyed the story, and thanks for your review!]

Happy reading,

Psychohart


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